Prisoner
by The Wandering Fool
Summary: When you kill a member of the Akatsuki, there's no doubt that they will get their revenge. Unfortunately for Hyuuga Hinata, her comrades failed to realize this until it was too late. HinataxDeidara, some KibaxHinata. Set right after the Kazekage Rescue Arc. Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Trying something different. HinataxDeidara, enjoy. :)

* * *

"Yah!"

Hinata sent a roundhouse kick at the dummy's head, and it bent backwards, only to bring itself back up and slam into her knee, sending her falling to the ground. She groaned and brushed the dirt off her jacket as her teammate moved over to help her up, silently chuckling to himself.

"These new and improved dummies are a pain in the ass, aren't they?" he remarked, helping her off the ground.

"I forgot t-they were new," she sighed. "This is the third time that's happened. I'm sorry, Kiba, I'm interrupting y-your training."

"Hey, it's more like entertainment than anything else," Kiba teased. "You've done pretty well this week. Don't let one bad night get you down. Why don't you go home and then come back tomorrow refreshed and relaxed? We can make up for lost time."

"…Yeah, I think I w-will. Goodnight."

"Bye, Hinata!"

The Hyuuga walked away from the training grounds, the dismal mood within her growing with each step she took. Okay, so tonight wasn't her best of nights, but all in all she had to admit that Kiba was right. It had been a pretty good week. Well, after Gaara's successful rescue, it had been an absolutely amazing week for most of the village.

The news of the Kazekage's revival and the annihilation of one of the members of the Akatsuki had spread through the village like wildfire, and Konoha was thrown into a frenzied state of celebration, with Team Kakashi and Team Guy receiving congratulatory whoops and pats on the back wherever they went. Sakura received a medal for her part in Sasori's death, and then the trend of parties every night began, the first one simply dedicated to her achievement, and then the next five because everyone enjoyed the first one so much. Even though she was proud of all her fellow shinobi had done, most of Hinata's attention had been dedicated to Naruto. She had wanted to go up to him as soon as he had returned and told him how amazing she thought he was for saving Gaara, but upon sighting him she couldn't think of anything to say, instead stuttering a small hello before he was engulfed by the mob of villagers also awaiting their arrival.

Hinata looked up at the sky, admiring the quarter moon and the wispy white clouds that surrounded it, threatening to engulf it. For a long time now she had been following a nightly training regime in an attempt to better herself and become the strongest kunoichi she possibly could. Recently Kiba had joined her, and he was a welcome addition. After all, sometimes it could get rather lonely, and he gave her the support and encouragement that she needed. _I'm so close to becoming as strong as the other kunoichi, _she mused, clasping her fingers together in front of her and slowing her pace. She admired their power and grace so much, and she knew she was so close to achieving what they had. It just needed a little more time.

In the distance she could hear music and laughter emanating from a cluster of colored lights, a clear sign of another pointless celebration. She could imagine that Naruto was there with everyone else, Lee, Ino, Tenten, Sakura, and once again wished that she had the courage to go there and have fun with the rest of them, relaxing and enjoying life. However, no matter how much she wanted to see him, she couldn't imagine enjoying the event, and besides, what would she say? Every time she was around him she wanted to confess her feelings for him and pray that he would reciprocate them. She wanted to tell him that he was her inspiration, that he was the reason she hadn't given up but was instead pushing herself to get stronger and stronger. _I would never be able to say all that! _Just the notion of it was making her cheeks flush, and she shook the thought out of her head.

_Snap!_

Hinata whirled around, her hair hovering wildly around her face as she searched for the source of the noise. A cool breeze wove around her and rustled the leaves of the trees and bushes around her, attacking her ears and preventing her from hearing anything else.

"It was just the wind," she murmured, taking a deep breath. "I have to stop being so paranoid all the time." As she resumed her walk home, she failed to notice the shadow looming behind her, nor the rock that came crashing down onto the back of her head until an intense pain sent her falling to the ground. Before her eyes she could see a swirl of black and red mixing together, until finally, nothing.

"Fucking hell, Kakuzu!" a voice whispered harshly as a second shadow materialized out of the bushes. "We could've chased her around a bit and had some fun!"

"We have orders to get her back as soon as possible," Kakuzu replied, taking out a length of rope and securing the unconscious girl's hands together. Lifting her up with one arm, he tossed her over his shoulder and started to melt away into the darkness once again. "Come on, let's go."

"Get bent," Hidan muttered darkly, following the order all the same. "At least this was easy. I hope these Konoha bitches have a field day when they realise one of their precious comrades is missing."

"Just shut up and start walking."

* * *

The morning sun shone brightly over Konoha as Kiba's loud guffaws reached the ears of every villager. He and Akamaru were standing over the scene of the last party where a stream of unconscious bodies lay, half of them still holding the bottles of sake that had done them in. He could see Shikamaru, Ino, Tenten, Choji and Lee huddled up close together as if seeking warmth, looking rather comfortable under Naruto and Sakura, who were using them as a mattress. If only they could have seen how ridiculous they looked, Kiba could have enjoyed the moment so much more. But that didn't matter – he would be able to mercilessly mock them when they awoke later on.

The blonde shinobi let out a yawn and slowly opened his eyes, dazedly looking around him. He rolled off his makeshift bed and grumbled when he hit the floor, wiping his eyes as he tried to figure out where he was.

"Fun night, huh?" Kiba commented. Akamaru leapt onto Naruto and started licking his face, much to the blonde's dismay. Pushing the large dog off was no easy feat, but with his owner's help it was accomplished, and Naruto busied himself with wiping the saliva off his cheeks.

"I can't remember half of what happened yesterday," he groaned. "I think I've reached my limit. No more partying for me." His stomach growled loudly and he gave his friend a hopeful stare. "Got any ramen on you?"

"Do I look like I do?"

"Want to go buy me some?"

"You wish! I have to get to a team meeting in a couple of minutes."

"Okay, after that."

Kiba rolled his eyes as he walked off, his dog loyally following him. Naruto trailed along after them, completely under the impression that he would be getting a free meal very soon. "You know, Naruto, my team's been doing a lot of training. We've gotten like ten times stronger. Especially Hinata." Kiba glanced at him sideways, looking for any reaction, but unfortunately his friend was too busy focusing on the longing pangs in his stomach to have heard a thing.

Rolling his eyes, Kiba resisted the urge to smack the blonde's head, instead busying himself by stroking Akamaru's fur. He had only joined the Hyuuga in her midnight-training regime a few days ago, when he had accidently run into her while out on a late-night walk with Akamaru. Since then he had helped her out every night, with the occasional visit from Shino who would tell them what they were doing wrong. He hadn't been surprised to see her working so hard – that was just the way she was, always pushing herself. And he knew that part of her motivation was to be able to show her long-time crush just how much stronger she had gotten. Unfortunately for her, that crush was so clueless he would probably never realise that all her efforts were for him. She would never say it, and he would never see it. But Kiba would help her build her confidence, until that one day when she could come clean. He'd been looking out for her ever since they had been placed in the same team; that would never change, whether the situation was them versus a hundred enemy shinobi, or simply her boy troubles.

He had barely finished thinking this when he spied Kurenai in the distance, hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently.

"Kiba! You're late!"

The shinobi swiftly took in the scowling face of his teacher and grinned sheepishly. "What can I say; I'm not good with time management." He spied Shino leaning against a nearby tree, and looked around for his other teammate. "Where's Hinata?"

"I thought she'd be with you," Kurenai said, moving her gaze to Naruto. "Obviously that's not the case." He smiled and waved at her, frowning when his stomach's noisy rumblings failed to cease. "Where could she be? She's never late to meetings."

"Well, she did get home late last night, she could have overslept."

"That could be…Well, since you were the last one to arrive, you can go look for her. I was going to brief you all on a job I wanted you to take, but it seems like that will have to wait. Get her and bring her here in ten minutes. In the meantime, I'll give Shino all the details he needs."

"…Can Kiba buy me ramen first?" The three glowering pairs of eyes immediately silenced the hungry jinchuriki, and he grumbled sourly to himself as Kiba pulled him away. "I just wanted some food…"

"Too bad! First, we get Hinata. Then I'll buy you all the ramen you want."

* * *

Hinata was trapped in a dream.

She was swimming in a beautiful ocean stretching endlessly into the blue horizon. The smell of salt water was in the air, and in the distance the cries of seagulls could be heard. The young girl effortlessly glided along with the current, the cold water caressing her body and pulling her this way and that, leading her to a destination that didn't seem to exist. Yet still she kept on going, searching continuously but to no avail. The scene remained the same no matter how much she swam and how far she went. Only now, things were changing. Gray clouds began to gather in the sky, melding together and darkening the world around her. A clash of thunder rang in her ears, and then the once calm current became treacherous and violent, throwing her around like a flimsy rag. The more she fought against it, the more her muscles failed her, until she couldn't move at all. Suddenly she was submerged beneath the roiling waves, completely helpless and unable to breathe. She opened her mouth and a surge of salt water filled her lungs. Now she was choking, clinging on to dear life as tightly as she could, until finally, there was darkness.

How much time had passed? Five minutes? Five hours? The darkness was smothering her in its embrace. Any sense of reality had become a distant memory. She had no idea what to think when a steady, rhythmic tapping made itself known to her. It was as quiet as a whisper in the beginning, but surely it was becoming louder and louder, until finally it wasn't the only thing she could hear. The hum of unclear murmurs joined in the background, and all of a sudden, one seemed to break the barrier that had deafened her, and she could hear.

"I'm telling you, you should totally follow the ways of Jashin-sama!"

Dismissing her lack of sight altogether, Hinata put all her energy into her sense of sound in a desperate attempt to hear more.

"No thanks," said a gruff voice. Bingo! It was as if a door had unlocked, and her senses were hit with an intensity she had never known before. She was aware of everything; the smell of hay and a scratching against her face, the thick cord of rope binding her wrists and the blindfold wound tightly around her head. A sharp stabbing pain flared to life in the back of her head, and she felt herself emit a gasp in shock.

"Well, well, someone's woken up," a voice commented. "Your drugs may have lost their effect, Kakuzu."

"It's not that hard to get her asleep again."

Their words sent a chill down the Hyuuga's spine, and she struggled against the bonds holding her back in a desperate attempt to escape. It was useless however, so instead she tried a different approach to the situation. _Byakugan! _She could feel the veins around her eyes popping out, but she was granted with only a blurred view through the blindfold. She could see nothing of the speakers' faces, only random shapes and colors.

"That's not going to work," the voice was awfully close now. Hinata could practically feel its owner's breath on her forehead. She wanted to get away from it, but her body refused to obey her. "The point of that whole treatment was to drain you of your chakra and weaken you completely. It looks like you'll need another dose." She felt a slight pinprick on the back of her neck, and then once again she was blinded. However, she could still hear the rustling of the man's clothes as he went back to his original position. She recalled the name she had heard before – Kakuzu. She knew that name from somewhere, but where? Deep in the recesses of her mind the answer was hidden, and it refused to let her find it.

"Pein better not try to make me watch this girl in the cell," the other person said. "I'd rather cut my throat then get that job."

"I'll do it for you, if you want."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Whatever. I'm not doing it, either. There's no money in it."

"I say we make him choose blondie for the job. He can play with his clay down there. It's a win-win situation."

"For once, that actually sounds like a smart idea. I'll tell Pein when we get there. You just go sacrifice another goat or something."

"I am going to fucking kill you one day, just you wait."

That was the last thing Hinata heard before she blacked out completely, after having finally realized who had taken her hostage. _Akatsuki._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Behold, the second chapter! Thank you for your reviews and alerts, they mean the world to me. c:

* * *

Whenever Kiba visited the Hyuuga household, he couldn't help but notice the serene atmosphere that encompassed the entire compound. It emanated from the residents, whether they were sparring or just meditating, and the birds and trees made their own contributions with their calm and quiet movements. Even the buildings themselves had a somber mood to them – following the same dark, earthy color scheme as their surroundings. The shinobi always felt uncomfortable here; he felt as though everyone was watching him, daring him to go ahead and break the calm as he would normally do anywhere else. Today, however, was a completely different story. Because when he heard the guard's response to his question, he was filled with such great disbelief that he couldn't help but destroy the serenity of the day.

"SHE NEVER CAME HOME?"

Akamaru growled in emphasis of his owner's exclamation, digging his claws into the ground. The guard suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and nodded, unwilling to repeat his statement. "We assumed she was still training."

"What about when she didn't come later?" Naruto asked, having fully forgotten about his earlier desperate craving for food.

"I assumed she stayed over at a friend's house because it got too late to go home."

Both shinobi snorted at this comment, and Kiba spoke up. "She was with me, you idiot! She went straight home! Hinata isn't the kind of person to go and make such a random decision without telling anyone, is she?"

"You're right."

All three heads turned in the direction of the speaker, who was walking towards him from the inside of the compound carrying with him an unmistakable air of self-confidence, his long black hair flowing freely behind him.

"Neji!" Naruto greeted his comrade cheerfully. Kiba granted the Hyuuga a slight nod, and he did the same before turning his attention to the sentry in front of them.

"Hinata would have come home straight away, no matter what time it was," he said, fixing the man with a cold stare. "Or she would have at least told me in advance if she had plans to go somewhere. How could you have been so idiotic as to not inform us of her absence until now?"

"I…Everyone was asleep, I didn't think it would be wise to disturb -!"

Neji held up a hand, effectively silencing the man. He didn't have time for excuses. "I'm going to go look for her. If I'm not back in ten minutes with any news, alert the rest of the clan about her disappearance."

He strode off in the direction of the center of the village, and Naruto and Kiba, who had idly stood by while he spoke, decided to follow him in the hopes of learning more information. They followed the same path that led to the training grounds, their sneakers crunching over the dead leaves and twigs that coated the path. The sounds of their advance echoed throughout the trees, disturbing the birds and the animals lurking in the bushes. Two rabbits sprang out of nowhere and leapt across the path, launching themselves into the shadows of the trees in a mad dash for safety from the humans. Akamaru wanted to chase after them, but his owner laid a restricting hand on his head, preventing the dog from running off.

"Where could she be?" Kiba muttered to himself, sniffing the air in the hopes of catching her scent. They had now turned onto a different path that would soon lead them deeper into the village. He could smell faint traces of her scent back where they had just been walking, a remainder from the night before, most likely. But something was off. "Hang on you guys, I need to check something." They watched him curiously as he walked back and forth along the path, his head tilted upwards and his chest rising as he inhaled deeply. The more he continued down towards Konoha, the more confused he began to look.

Backtracking, he started towards the other path towards the training grounds, puzzling his friends. Neji sighed irritably and turned to start walking off on his own when Kiba's voice halted him. "You're not going to find her there." He froze, but he didn't turn around, choosing instead to incline his head towards the shinobi as a sign that he was listening. "Use your Byakugan. Her scent is nowhere near that path; she couldn't have gone that way. But that's the strange thing – from here it just kind of disappears."

As Naruto strode over to inspect the area his friend was gesturing towards, the Hyuuga went about activating his bloodline ability and scanning the area. As his field of vision spread out further and further, through the streets of Konoha and the buildings in the vicinity he was met was the sight of a handful of familiar faces. However, none of them resembled the one he was hoping to find. Completely focused, he failed to hear the jinchuriki voice a question.

"What?" he asked, turning off his Byakugan. He focused on the blonde, who was hunched over a particular spot on the ground, brushing away the leaves to get a better look.

"There's blood here," Naruto repeated. If he hadn't had their full attention before, he certainly did now. The two others leaned in closer, letting out gasps of horror and outrage as their eyes confirmed what they had just heard. Staining the grass and the dirt patches in between was an all too familiar dried red substance.

Kiba felt the urge to punch himself in the face as he put two and two together. _This is her blood…HER BLOOD! I told her to go home…but I didn't take her. I just let her go alone. What if I hadn't said anything, or what if I had walked her home? How could I have let this happen? _Shaking his troubled thoughts out of his head, he busied himself with sniffing around the surrounding foliage. Her scent stuck out like a beacon, but it was mixed with some unfamiliar smells as well.

"There's one…no, two other scents here." he said. "They don't belong to anyone we know. But this…this is definitely Hinata's blood."

"Bastards!" Naruto hissed, his voice dripping with rage. "They must have attacked Hinata! Who the hell would go and do something like that to her out of all people? Where the hell are they, Kiba? Can you track them?"

The shinobi couldn't reply. In fact, he could barely hear a thing. His mind was completely blocked by the one thought that kept on bouncing around the inside of his skull, slamming into the walls and torturing him to no end.

_It's my fault._

* * *

Deidara let out a gleeful laugh as the tiny clay spiders he had just released scuttled over to his partner's bed. They crawled up and down over the bed sheets before settling down in the center of the mattress, a white cloud standing out greatly on the bright orange material. Falling silent, he could make out the sound of approaching footsteps from the other side of the bedroom's door. _Perfect timing, _he thought eagerly as the handle began to turn.

"Three…two…one!" Right as the door opened, he formed the tiger/ran hand seal with his right hand and watched his creations burst into small balls of flame, completely incinerating the entire bed and leaving behind nothing but a pile of ash on the scorched floor.

He watched the masked man slowly approach the remains of the bed, wishing for the hundredth time that he could see the man's face as to gauge his reaction. The one hole in the pumpkin-colored mask barely revealed a thing. However, the single tear that fell from beneath the man's mask was enough to send the blonde into a fit of mischievous snickers. His laughter grew in volume as his partner knelt beside the spot where his mattress had once been, as if mourning. "Deidara-senpai…that was so beautiful!" Tobi sobbed.

"Of course it was!" the artist grinned, relishing the moment. Truthfully, he had been planning to just destroy something outside, but this was much better. And, just like always, the resulting blast left him with the satisfaction he always felt upon witnessing an explosion.

Tobi began to sweep up the remnants of his bed and Deidara rested his head against the wall behind him, uncrossing his legs and allowing them to dangle over the edge of the mattress. He turned his gaze to the window, through which he could see the mansion's healthy-looking garden. This location was a nice change from their previous temporary hideout, which they had had to abandon once the Konoha-nin discovered it. From there it had been difficult to decide where to go, until Hidan suggested they cross over into the Land of Hot Water and go back to his home village of Yugakure. He had told them about a rich land owner who lived in a large mansion on the outskirts of the village – a home much too big for a single man and his few servants – and had then gone on to propose that they go and relieve him of his home. The trip across the Land of Fire hadn't been easy as they were still being pursued by the authorities, and in the end it took them a couple of days of continuous travel to get to the village, the prospect of staying in such a luxurious residence spurring them forward. The owner hadn't been willing to give them the mansion, and unknowingly signed his and his workers' death warrants in the process of refusing the group's offer of money. Getting rid of them was a simple task for the missing-nin, and a great pleasure for Zetsu as he had the pleasure of 'cleaning up' their remains.

As his roomate cleared the soot out of the room Deidara couldn't help thinking about his previous partner, who had been killed by the hands of the pink-haired kunoichi from Konoha and the old lady from Suna. Although none of them showed it, the members of the group had been enraged by the puppet master's death. Band of criminals or not, when you lose one of your own you're not going to let the murderers simply get away with it. That line of thinking was probably what inspired the Akatsuki to get revenge on the people of Konoha. An eye for an eye, after all. For the last two days they had been doing nothing but plotting and scheming, but other than the basic knowledge that they would abduct one of Konoha's shinobi, the blonde knew nothing. Hidan and Kakuzu had been chosen to go on the mission, so they were the only ones who knew who their target was, and how they planned to capture them.

Growing tired of the silence that had taken over the room when Tobi left, he decided to take a walk around the mansion, maybe explore some of the parts he hadn't gone to yet. There was still the attic and basement, and his comrade's bedrooms. A wicked smile crossed his face as he considered planting some clay spiders on each of their beds, but the thought of what they would do to him in retaliation was more than enough to deter him from this trick. After all, they didn't know how to appreciate the beauty of his art.

"Tobi told us what you did to his bed," a voice said. He looked behind him and saw Kisame coming towards him, his arms folded across his chest and a toothy grin on his face. "Which is pretty funny, but if you try doing that to me I'll cut off your arms."

"Been there, done that," Deidara replied. "Has there been any news from Hidan and Kakuzu?"

"Nothing yet, but I wouldn't worry too much about it," Kisame said. "Apparently their target is more than easy to acquire."

"Who is it?"

"I don't know."

The blonde rolled his eyes and continued his walk down the hallway, the blue-skinned man following after him. "…Are you lost?"

"I'm just bored," Kisame admitted. "It's been three days and I haven't had a single fight. Speaking of which, how about we go one on one?"

"Go fight Itachi or something. I'm not in the mood."

Kisame opened his mouth to reply when they heard the crunch of gravel from the other side of the manor and the whinnying of horses. Catching each other's eyes, they immediately went off in the direction of the double doors that marked the entrance of the mansion.

"They must be back. Any clue at all who they've brought with them?"

"None. Let's go find out."

* * *

Hinata could feel a vice-like grip on her shoulder as she was violently shaken back and forth. Her stomach churned with every moment and she could barely register what was going on around her, instead putting all of her efforts into keeping the contents of her stomach down.

"Get up, already!"

The strip of cloth that had been tied around her eyes disappeared, and she slowly lifted her eyelids to test her vision. However, the sunlight proved to be too much for her, and she immediately shut them closed once more. The hand on her shoulder forcefully pulled her upright, and although she wanted to move away the bonds around her wrists prevented her from fighting back. Oddly enough, she felt rather calm, even though she didn't have a clue what was going on. Her head was still rather fuzzy, and her memories from earlier were returning unnaturally slowly.

"Who the hell is this? She doesn't look like anyone useful."

"The Hyuuga heiress. Interesting choice."

The voices sparked a hint of curiosity in the girl, and she opened her eyes once more, this time allowing her pupils to get used to the bright light. She was sitting on what appeared to be a bed of straw covering the floor of a wooden cart. Looking behind her, she could see a small, frightened looking man on the driver's seat, holding the reigns of a bony horse. He didn't look like he wanted to be there, and when he caught her eye, the words he mouthed told her all she needed to know. _I'm sorry._

Turning away from his gaze of pity, she instead set her sights on the eight people surrounding the cart. Most of these people, she had never seen before in her life. But even so, she knew who they were. The black cloaks with the unmistakable red clouds that they donned only served to confirm her previous suspicions. As she tried to remember whatever she had forgotten a sharp stabbing pain appeared in the back of her head, clearing the fog in her head and allowing her memories to painfully flood back to her. The reality of the situation she was in began sink in, and her heart began to hammer against her ribcage so hard she felt it might burst.

"You're legs aren't bound, so get the fuck off this thing already," the man holding her shoulder ordered.

His most noticeable aspect was the large triple-bladed scythe he wore on his back, the black blades glinting in the sunlight. Breathing deeply in an attempt to calm herself down, she obeyed the order and slid off the wagon. Her legs must have been far weaker than she had first assumed, as her knees buckled under her and she fell face-first onto the ground. She heard a couple of snickers coming from her right, and no-one moved to help her up. She didn't notice the pain shooting across her forehead, however. It seemed as if her fear had finally taken control of her, numbing her senses until she couldn't feel a thing. _The Akatsuki…What's going on? Why am I here?_

She didn't register the sound of approaching footsteps until they were right beside her ears. "Here you go!" someone grunted as they grabbed the back of her jacket and used it as a lever to pull her up. She caught a glance of blue skin and immediately averted her gaze, afraid of catching the man's eyes. For a millisecond she wished she was still drugged – the total nonchalance she had felt earlier must have been a side effect, and now she was desperately craving it once more.

_Let go of me don't touch me someone anyone why I am I here help me please help me what is happening here? _ The frenzied line of thoughts wound its way round her brain, blocking out the small voice that was begging her to be cool and collected, like a proper shinobi should.

"Look at her eyes, she's terrified!" someone exclaimed gleefully. The speaker was a young blonde man with long bangs covering his left eye. He moved in closer to get a better glimpse of her, and she could do nothing, still suspended in the air by blue-skinned man.

"Well, Deidara, since you've taken an interest in her, you can guard her while she's here," Kakuzu said. Hinata couldn't help but shudder at the sound of the man's voice – a reaction that did not go unnoticed.

"She doesn't like you, Kakuzu-san," the man in the orange mask pointed out.

"We know that, Tobi. _I have to say, choosing her was smart."_

"Be quiet, everyone."

It was an orange-haired man who spoke, with multiple piercings in his face. _He…he's the leader,_ Hinata thought decidedly. The statement had come to her with such ease, but as he approached her she could feel what little confidence she had managed to hold onto begin to vanish. A bead of sweat trickled down her face and made its way down her cheek, and he clenched her teeth as the man began to talk once more, his cold voice penetrating the recesses of her mind.

"Deidara, as Kakuzu suggested, you shall be her guard," he said. "The rest of you – quit wasting time and come with me. We have work to do."

"Pein-sama, wait!" Deidara yelled, halting the group. "Why do I have to be the one guarding her? Why can't any of the others do it?"

"Are you questioning my orders?" Pein asked. He said the question with disinterest, but the menacing glare he fixed on his subordinate showed otherwise.

"…Never mind. C'mon, girly." Placing his hand behind her neck, he pushed her forward into the mansion.

She barely noticed the rude manner in which he moved her – she was still trying to make heads or tails of her situation. In such a frazzled state as the one she was in, however, she couldn't think of anything. Her mind was completely and utterly blank. So blank, in fact, that she didn't realise they had reached their destination until she heart the _clang_of steel behind her. Looking back, she saw bar upon bar of silvery-gray steel, moving all the way to the end of the room. The cell she was in was small and cramped – a small metal bedframe with no mattress took up half of the space on its own. There were no windows, but beside her was a wooden door that was just about her height. It was set deeply in the bluish stone that made up the walls and floors of the entire room. She wanted to open it, but once again she was reminded of the constraints that made her hands useless. The atmosphere of this place was so cold, so dead. It chilled her to the bone. But even so, it seemed like she was finally able to relax a bit. Here, almost in complete isolation, she felt much safer than she had out there, even if the same rules still applied. The man who had brought her in – Deidara, that was his name, wasn't it? – looked around with contempt and sighed, muttering something under his breath.

"I'll be back in a minute," the blonde said off-handedly. "If I were you, I wouldn't try anything. Not that you can!" He chuckled wickedly and leapt up the stone stairs that seemed to have materialized from the darkness.

As soon as he disappeared Hinata tried ripping off the ropes that held her still, but she didn't manage to achieve anything. Frustrated and scared, she fell to her knees and leaned her aching forehead on the cool bars. It was hopeless. One way or another, she was trapped, with no way out. Her vision became blurred, and the water that had pooled in her eyes began to slowly trickle out. _I couldn't do anything to protect myself…Damn it!_


	3. Chapter 3

"Done!"

Stuffing the last handful of clay into the bag resting against his hip, Deidara zipped it shut and moved the nearly empty pot he stored his clay in back to its place beside his bed. _I'm going to have to go get some more soon, _he mused, walking out of the room. His pace was slow; that of a man who knew that he had a job to do yet was unwilling to do it. True, his duty as the Hyuuga's guard entailed virtually nothing of him, but she already seemed to be a dull character, one who wouldn't give him much entertainment. And although he did love working on his art for hours on end, it wouldn't be as satisfying unless he could detonate it. He didn't know what the cellar could take, and he certainly wasn't willing to risk it.

Well, it wasn't like he was going to have to watch her the whole time…or was he? Looking back, he realized that no-one had specified just how long he had to look over the girl. Did that mean that he was going to have to watch her the entire time she was there? _They can't make me stay down there! It'll kill me!_

Moving out the doorway, he could hear voices emanating from the drawing room at the end of the hall. Judging by the volume of the conversation, it seemed like all of his comrades were there. Although his common sense told him that barging in and demanding to be replaced would get him nowhere, he had a great urge to try it anyways. After all, what would be the point of backing down without having ever given it a try? It wasn't his style.

The room was a grand sight; with its plush black and white leather chairs, circular black tables scattered all around and the large cinder-filled fireplace that dominated the entire left side of the room, it had an odd yet elegant air. The setting sun shone a bright orange glow through the window, illuminating everything in its path. His fellow Akatsuki members had dragged their chairs into one large circle, and were seated with their respective partners, talking animatedly to one another. _ So they're all here having fun, _he thought with slight bitterness as he crossed the threshold.

As soon as Deidara's foot landed on the carpet, the atmosphere changed. A smothering silence filled the air, and he couldn't help feeling like even though his comrades had seemed to be acting so relaxed, he had actually just interrupted something very important. Which didn't make sense – they wouldn't have left him out of anything like that. Yet the intense stares he was received only served to strengthen his suspicions. Their eyes followed him as he approached the circle, all the way until he stopped behind Zetsu's chair.

"Shouldn't you be guarding the girl?" Itachi asked him casually. Deidara fought the urge to send a snappy remark towards the Uchiha. _Even if he's right, I still want to punch him in the face just for talking, _he muttered in his head. He turned towards Pein, who had fixed him with a look of slight annoyance.

"Itachi is right," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Pein-sama, when do I stop watching the girl?" Deidara asked.

"As long as she is there, you have to watch her," Pein said.

"But isn't anyone going to relieve me later on?"

"No."

"…So I have to guard her during the entire day?"

"And night. Grab some blankets for yourself, it gets cold."

The blonde could hear Hidan snickering near him, and it took all his willpower not to fling some of his clay at the man's face and watch him burn when the resulting explosion came along.

"But why me?" He could tell his leader was getting more and more irritated with the questions, as his expression had grown sour since he first spoke.

"Are you saying you're not going to do it?" Pein inquired, daring his subordinate to answer positively. Deidara felt like he was treading on thin ice, and mentally sighed. As painful as it was, his respect for the man was great, and he didn't want to upset him anymore. Which meant he'd have to accept his orders without any more complaint.

He turned away and walked out of the room, ignoring the sudden babble of voices behind him. Now it was his turn to be in a sour mood. Why him? Why had he been the one stuck with such an unpleasant task? They all knew him – he wasn't the kind of person who could stay cooped up for long periods of time. So why not Zetsu or Itachi, the most patient ones of them all? Hell, even Tobi could've done it! As if on cue, the masked shinobi appeared behind him and started walking alongside his partner.

"Deidara-senpai, are you mad?" he asked, tilting his head. The blonde rejected him with a wave of his hand, but that didn't stop the man. "It's okay, you should be happy! While you're down there you can make more art! For as long as you want!"

Deidara ignored his comrade's incessant ramblings and strode down the narrow staircase that led to the mansion's basement. Walking down those steps was like being transported into another world. The walls on either side of the missing-nin went from elegantly painted granite to dull grey slabs of stone with the appearance of being forced into place, and the stairs beneath his feet followed suit. The air was cold and damp, and the blonde suddenly recalled that he would be sleeping there tonight. Well, well, the day just kept on getting better and better.

"Tobi, want to bring me my bed sheets and pillows? I'm moving out."

"Ah, of course, Deidara-senpai! Do you want me to move with you and keep you company?"

"I refuse!"

They finally reached the bottom of the staircase and entered the large prison. What the previous owner had done with this room, none of the Akatsuki knew, but all the same they were grateful for his twisted ways. It meant they hadn't had to build one themselves.

Inside her cell, the Hyuuga girl lay on the floor, arms still bound behind her back and knees drawn towards her chest. He could hear slight sniffling sounds, but when she noticed his present she became quiet. _Crying. Like that'll help her, _Deidara thought, rolling his eyes. Reaching into the bag he hadn't refilled with clay, he drew out a couple of clay spiders he had leftover from earlier, and tossed them through the bars. They crawled to different sections of the cell, taking refuge in the dark corners and cracks of the walls.

"Hey, girl, get over here so I can cut those ropes off," he said. "Remember, f you try anything at all, I'll detonate those spiders, and you'll be splattered all over the cell." Okay, so he may have been exaggerating, but she certainly didn't know that. He waited for her to move, but she didn't, remaining as still as a statue. "Hey, did you hear me? I said get over here! Jeez, you'd think for a Konoha-nin you'd have a lot more fighting spirit."

When she still didn't respond, he rolled his eyes and removed the lock from the prison's door and strode in, tossing a kunai from hand to hand. Crouching down beside the girl, who was watching him with wide, slightly tearful eyes, he neatly slipped the blade through the ropes around her wrists, effectively removing them. The skin beneath was red and bleeding slightly, but that wasn't his problem to deal with. As quickly as he entered he had already gone out and locked the door once more. He sensed some movement, and watched the Hyuuga as she drew herself into a sitting position and inspected her hands.

_I don't get it, _he thought. _Why the hell is she so calm and quiet? It's annoying!_

"Deidara-senpai, I have your things!"

* * *

Hinata blocked out the noise from the other side of the bars, attempting to steady her breathing as she blew on her aching wrists. Her vision was slightly blurred, and she wiped her eyes on her sleeves in an attempt to clear them before her guard saw anything.

_Jeez, you'd think for a Konoha-nin you'd have a lot more fighting spirit._

Although he hadn't realized it, the blonde's words had upset her more than he would ever know. They had completely taken over her mind, repeating themselves over and over. Because he was right. She was a shinobi from Konoha, one of the strongest villages out there, and yet she was nothing like her comrades in battle. They wouldn't have just accepted being held in captivity like this. They would've fought their way out! She thought of what Naruto would do, picturing him breaking down the walls and getting the hell out of there. And what she doing? Sitting down meekly and allowing her fear to reign free.

"You can leave now, Tobi!"

The order broke through her thoughts, and turning away from the two, she silently activated her Byakugan to see what was going on. Deidara was setting up a makeshift bed right in front of the bars using the pillows and sheets Tobi had brought him. He seemed to get rather irritated as the masked man attempted to help him, and was constantly batting away the man's hands. Oddly enough the scene was slightly comical, but that didn't make Hinata feel any better.

Suddenly, Tobi turned his face – well, his _mask_ towards the girl, and Hinata could have sworn he knew that she watching them, even though her face was hidden behind her long blue locks. Her breathing hitched, and she stopped the eye technique and instead focused on her injuries. They stung a bit, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. The throbbing in the back of her head had dulled as well, but there was no telling when it would suddenly reappear.

"Hinaaaata-chan, are you comfy in there?" Tobi called out. Her blood seemed to freeze in response. What on earth? Why had he spoken to her in such a friendly manner?

"Get lost, Tobi," Deidara said, pushing his partner towards the stairs. "How do you know her name?"

"Hyuuga Hinata, heiress of the Hyuuga clan," Tobi recited. "We were just talking about her upstairs."

"So that was a meeting? Why the hell did you all leave me out of it?"

"You were supposed to be guarding Hinata-chan!"

By his clenched fists and raised voice, Hinata could tell just how upset Deidara was as he continued his verbal assault on his partner. Would that make matters worse for her, then? Or would he be so caught up with the situation that he wouldn't notice any attempt by her to escape? However, she would have to consider the clay spiders he had released earlier. She didn't know how they worked or how he would detonate them, but it would be best not to make any moves just yet. Breathing deeply, she realized she felt a strange calm. Was this how it worked, then? First the fear, then the calm? Not that it was helping her deal with the situation either way.

She turned her attention back to the argument, which seemed to be getting nowhere. Deidara seemed just about ready to strangle his opponent, his hands closing in on his partner's throat with such speed and familiarity, as if he had done this millions of times before. "Okay, senpai, I'll leave!" Tobi managed to squirm out of the blonde's grasp and started bounding up the stairs two at a time, pausing just for a moment. "Be nice to Hinata-chan, okay?" He quickly resumed his leave before anyone could say a word, leaving the two alone in silence.

The blonde sat down on his futon, all the while cursing his comrades under his breath as he removed his cloak, revealing the plain vest and pants he wore beneath it. Next off was the utility belt he used to carry his bags of clay. Hinata took less notice of these details, instead focusing more on how odd his left arm looked. Compared to the right arm, it was much darker and wrinkled, and seemed out of place on the missing-nin. How had that happened? She knew she had heard something about this man when Naruto had come home, but no bells were ringing. The question somehow faded from her mind when she noticed the pink flesh hanging from his palms, and it took her a minute to realize what they were. _…Tongues? Wait, are those mouths on his palms? _With morbid interest she watched them recede back into his palm. She saw a flash of white – most likely the teeth – and her eyes widened slightly. What on earth was their purpose?

"The sun hasn't even set and I'm already going to sleep," Deidara moaned, sliding under his sheets. "What a sad day. Well, Hyuuga, today I'm too tired to allow you the privilege of seeing my artwork. But don't worry; you'll get your chance. You won't be going anywhere anytime soon." Giving her a wicked smirk, he winked and turned his back towards her, settling down for the night. And once again, his words struck a nerve. _You won't be going anywhere anytime soon._ So they planned to keep her there, alive. Why? Why had they even taken her in the first place? They could have just killed her back when they had knocked her out. But they hadn't. What was the point of it all? _I wish I had gone to that celebration after all, and talked to you, Naruto, _she thought wistfully, gazing at the cracked ceiling of her new residence. _I should've told you how I felt then and there. Who knows if I'll ever get the chance to._

Whether she sat there contemplating for seconds, minutes, hours, Hinata didn't know. Time seemed to have slowed down for her, and it refused to speed back up. For a moment she considered getting some rest, but just the thought of sleeping unnerved her. She didn't want them to find her at her most defenseless time. No, she would stay awake for as long as she possibly could. Moving to sit on the edge of the metal contraption she had labeled her 'bed', she gingerly settled on the edge of the rusted metal. This was where she would stay for the rest of the night, alert and completely aware of her surroundings.

She only lasted ten minutes before a great fatigue spread through her body and knocked her out completely.

* * *

"It's been almost three days! How can there be no sign of her?"

"Lower your voice, yelling isn't going to help anything."

Kiba glowered at Neji, but he knew the Hyuuga was right. Yelling wasn't going to help anyone.

Akamaru let out a small whine and pushed his head up against his owner's palm. The shinobi absentmindedly began to stroke the dog's fur, which helped him calm down a little. His breathing returned to normal, and he was able to see things clearly once more. Like Neji standing beside him, talking to the leader of the search party that had just come back and reported that they hadn't found a single clue of Hinata's whereabouts.

She had completely disappeared. Kiba didn't know exactly when, how, nor why. All he knew was that she was gone, and her safety was all that mattered. Where was she? Was she hurt, or worse? Who had taken her? Nobody had been able to answer these questions, and it was frustrating him to no end.

"We should go check back with Tsunade, again," he muttered, already turning in the direction of the Hokage's office.

"I heard you went there this morning," Neji said. "I doubt anything has changed since then."

"How the hell are you so damn calm about this?"

"Overreacting to the situation won't do any good."

Neji ignored Kiba's swears and curses and moved to head back to the Hyuuga household, well aware that his cousin's teammate was trailing along behind him, having nowhere else to go. For the last two days the Inuzuka had clung to his side like glue, desperately seeking any news about Hinata. Shadows were beginning to form under his eyes and he had developed a bad temper, barking at people whenever they spoke to him. He had taken this whole situation worse than anyone else.

It seemed to everyone that the Hyuuga was dealing with this the way one should – calm and collected, just as Hiashi was. Few could tell that it was merely a façade. In truth he was just as worried as Kiba, but he understood that acting as rashly as he was would make no improvements. He wouldn't let his emotions get the better of him.

_But when will that fool realize his own feelings? _Neji wondered, glancing at the shinobi behind him. _He thinks it's just the protectiveness one feels for their own teammate…how can he not have understood by now that it's much stronger than that? Before this I wasn't so sure, but the way he's reacting to this now has made it clear. Those are the eyes of someone in love._

"Hey, what are you staring at?" Kiba growled, bringing Neji out of his thoughts.

"Nothing," Neji replied.

"…Whatever. Hey, there's Naruto! Maybe he has some news!"

Upon spying the blonde on the path ahead of them the Inuzuka eagerly ran towards him, with Akamaru speeding after him. Naruto was waving his arms wildly at them, appearing as though he had the desperate need for a bathroom. By the time they reached him he had composed himself just enough to be able to talk to them normally.

"You guys have to come with me, now!" he said, grabbing their arms and attempting to drag them with him.

"What's going on?" they asked. They tried not to resist as he forcefully moved them down the streets of the village, apologizing to the people they accidently slammed into with each random twist and turn.

Although he didn't answer, the two made their own assumptions about the news. It was either good or bad, but no matter which way it was definitely about Hinata. After all, it had to be about her. What else could it be? But why hadn't he just told them back there? They tried asking the question again, but he ignored them, determined to take them to their destination as quickly as possible.

They finally understood what was going on when they reached the village's plaza, where Tsunade was waiting for them, along with Shizune, Sakura, Shino and Kurenai. In the Hokage's hand was a small white…clay bird? It was lightly pecking her fingers, as if searching for food. In her left hand she held a small ominous-looking scroll, which she handed to Neji.

"It came about ten minutes ago," she said.

Without a word he began to read, and Kiba leaned over his shoulder to get a look at the paper as well.

_You know, we were very upset about the death of our comrade, Sasori. We were even more upset by the fact that it was one of you fucks that went and killed him, even if she did have help. But that help is dead, and the co-murderer still lives her worthless life in that shithole you call a village._

_You butchered our comrade, and we're fucking pissed off. So we think we were perfectly justified when we took your precious Hyuuga as our prisoner. Why don't we call her collateral damage, or even better, reparations for the crime you commit? _

_Don't worry; we'll take great care of her. If you need translating, that means the bitch is going to suffer for what you all did. Her death will be long and painful, I'll personally make sure of that! This'll teach you mother-fucking Konoha shinobi to mess with us._

By the time he had finished reading the letter, everything had clicked. Although unsigned, the content and the paper had given it all away.

"The Akatsuki have her," Neji said, and Tsunade nodded in confirmation.

"We have no information yet of their whereabouts, but we can't risk wasting time," she said in a calm tone. The only thing that revealed her anger was the violent _crunch_ coming from her hand as she ground the bird into dust that trickled from between her clenched fingers. "Get yourself prepared. I want you, Naruto, Kiba and Sakura to be ready when we give you the orders to leave."

"You mean you'll send us after her?" Kiba exclaimed.

"Of course," she replied. "You and Neji will be brilliant at tracking her, and those two have prior experience with the Akatsuki. Of course, you'll have someone of higher rank accompanying you, but I still have to decide who. For now though, be patient. We have nothing to go by, so we can't just blindly send you out there. We already have men leaving the village to gather information. Until then, bear with the wait."

"…Alright," he reluctantly agreed. It would take some time. But at least now they knew who had her. It was a start. _I'll kill them all, _he decided firmly, clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. _If they lay even a single hand on her, I'll kill them._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Just because I've forgotten to do this the last few chapters - Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters and such are property of _Masashi Kishimoto_.

* * *

When Hinata opened her eyes, her vision was a sea of blurred shapes and colors, and she couldn't identify one from the other. At least this time it wasn't a result of some random drug in her system. But where was she again? Her view seemed to be unnaturally off. The floor seemed so close to her; she could practically feel the cool stone beneath her cheek. A light draft tickled her face and urged her to awaken, the world around her began to sharpen and become clear.

"Are you finally awake?"

All she could see was a pair of sandals on the other side of the cold gray bars that she still wasn't used to seeing. Her eyes travelled upwards to the face of her prison guard, the young, blonde Akatsuki member who seemed to constantly be sporting the same grin on his face. "You know, I woulda figured even that metal frame over there was more comfortable than the ground."

His comment made her realize that everything was so distorted simply because she was lying on the ground, craning her neck up just so that she could see his face. Ignoring the dull throbbing in her head, she pushed herself up and lowered her face so that it was hidden behind her hair. She didn't want him to keep on staring at her. It was unnerving.

"C'mon, why are you hiding?" he asked, suddenly sounding closer. Through the strands of blue she could see him crouching on his sheets, trying to catch her eye once more. "You've been out for a whole day! The least you could do is say something."

_Stop…stop talking to me so familiarly, _she plead mentally. _Leave me alone. Just go away. _Why was he acting like this? Like this whole situation was one big joke, and her life wasn't significant at all. All he expected from her was amusement. She wouldn't give in though, she had to keep strong. The fear was gone, so was the calm. The only thing she had left was her resolve. She wouldn't let that go as well.

"Sheesh, you're no fun," Deidara moaned, crossing his legs under him to get more comfortable. "You're too quiet. But if that means I can show off my art and not get a single complaint, I'll take it for now! Tobi let me know you were watching us earlier, you know." Hinata was only slightly surprised by this – even with his features hidden behind his mask, he had still seemed to know what she was doing. "Keep on hiding your face if you want, just make sure you get a good look at this."

Although she didn't acknowledge his words, she activated her Byakugan, slightly curious to see what he was going to do. He reached into one of the two bags beside him and pulled out a small ball of clay. That was when the mouths on his hands made themselves known to her once again. As he molded the material in his palms it seemed the mouths were doing most of the work, apparently _chewing_ it into shape. Oddly fascinated, she watched the entire process until it took on the shape of a small bird, stretching out its wings and showing off its intricately detailed feathers in all its detailed glory.

The small creation hopped of Deidara's palm and squeezed through the space between the bars, stopping right in front of Hinata's knee. It seemed so innocent and sweet, but she knew the purpose behind its deceiving appearance well enough. It was made for evil, not for good.

"Unfortunately, you won't get to see the real beauty of that thing unless you get a chance to go outside," he said, beckoning the small bird with a finger. It immediately obeyed and fluttered over, landing neatly on his shoulder. "Truth be told, this is one of my least impressive pieces. I can't afford to use up my clay just yet, you know. But admit it; you're amazed already, and you wish you could see more. That's exactly how you feel."

He stated it so matter-of-factly that she almost had the urge to nod in agreement, but she quickly shook the feeling off.

_This man…he's so strange,_ she mused. She watched him sigh with annoyance when she gave him no answer. It was clear that he wanted to be anywhere but there. Maybe he would get so tired of her that he would let her go free? No, that was just clutching at straws. She couldn't set herself up for disappointment – in this kind of situation, false hope a dangerous thing. It would be best to steer clear of it for as long as she could.

As the veins around her eyes receded and her vision went back to normal, she noticed the wooden door in the cell once again. It was an old and slightly rotted creation, yet it seemed to have an age-old strength, the iron hinges and circular handle adding character to it. What was behind it?

She didn't realize she had been staring at it quite some time until Deidara spoke up. "It's not that interesting – it's just your bathroom behind it," he informed her. "The previous owner of this place had an eye for detail. Go ahead and look, if it'll satisfy ya."

Hinata did so, pulling on the rusted handle with slight apprehension, suspicious that the blonde may be lying to her. However, he was telling the truth; there was a simple toilet and a small metal bath, as well as a metal tap protruding from the wall. Above it was a dusty mirror decorated by small chips and hairline cracks in the glass. She used her jacket's sleeve to wipe away the first layer of dirt, uncaring of her clothes condition, they were already filthy. Upon spying her reflection, she gave a slight start. Her face was pale and her hair was covered in grime; clothes looking worse for wear yet manageable. At least she looked well-rested, the lack of any bags or shadows under her eyes made sure of that. She inspected her nails and noted the dark and crusted look of her nails, as well as the dirt that coated her hands and the wounds on her wrists. For not having been able to shower for…was it two or three days? She couldn't tell. Either way, it wasn't as bad as she would have expected, but she still felt uncomfortable.

…_Can I wash here? _She wondered, turning the tap and watching it hiss and spit short bursts of water until the flow evened out and she had a small stream running into the bath and slowly but surely filling it up. Although the idea of undressing and washing with her guard right outside unnerved her, the thought of living in her own filth was enough to wipe away her fears.

"Are you taking a bath or something?" Deidara inquired loudly. "You'll have to speak up and tell me, otherwise I'm coming in!"

Immediately Hinata poked her head out of the door and nodded vigorously to prevent him from investigating further. He rolled his eyes at her unwillingness to speak and turned his back to her, picking up a book she hadn't noticed before and flipping through the pages.

Relieved he was going to leave her alone, she swung the door shut and undressed, neatly folding her clothes before hopping into the lukewarm water. Switching off the tap so that the water wouldn't overflow, she immediately began scrubbing at her skin, watching the brownish tinge it held slowly fade away.

_This is better, _she sighed, sliding deeper into the water so that it reached the bottom of her chin. _I'm glad I at least have some privacy. But there's nothing stopping him from barging in here if he wants too…I shouldn't take too long in here._

But with the water surrounding her, no matter how unclean or cold it was, she felt so comfortable that she was unwilling to move at all. Giving herself a few extra minutes, she let her mind wander back to her village, and her friends. _They must be looking for me now. But I don't think the Akatsuki will make it easy for them at all. I can't rely on them to come rescue me, though. I need to have an escape plan ready in case things get bad…in case…in case they see no more use in keeping me…_ She let the thought trail off, unwilling to imagine what would happen to her when they finally deemed her 'useless'. _I still don't understand why they brought me here. Kiba, Shino, Kurenai-sensei, I'm sorry if you're worrying over me. Naruto…will I ever see you again? Ah, I need to stop thinking like this! I __**will**__ return to Konoha, I won't just die here! _

The sound of talking reached her through the door and piqued her curiosity. Climbing out of the bathtub and quickly dressing into her underwear, she tiptoed towards the front of the room and pressed her ear against the small crack between the door and the wall.

"Really? The bitch is in there? _Washing_?"

Chills ran down her spine as she recognized the voice of the second man who had taken her, the one with the silver hair and the triple-bladed weapon. Just knowing that he was out there right on the other side of those bars was enough to send her breathing shooting off the charts, each breath becoming shallower and faster with every passing second. _Calm down! _She ordered herself, trying to regulate her intake of oxygen once more.

"That's what you do when you're dirty," she heard Deidara comment sarcastically. "You wouldn't know about that, would you, Hidan?"

"Well she's taking a fucking long time," Hidan said. "I'm going in."

In a heartbeat Hinata had slipped on her pants and was just pulling her shirt over her head and down past her chest when the door flung wide open to reveal the grinning Akatsuki member, whose cheerful mood seemed to fade away when he realized she was dressed.

"Shit!" he groaned, moving into the room. "I missed it!" She mirrored each step he took, backing away as he approached her. Upon noticing this, his grin reappeared, only much wider and much more menacing. "You're still soaking wet, but you put everything on. Makes me think you did it on purpose to avoid me seeing anything, huh?"

Her back was against the wall now, and her fingers were searching the smooth stone behind her as though it hid the means of her escape. Hidan was towering above her, appearing pleased that he could frighten her so. His eyes roamed down the length of her body, taking in all the curves that the jacket still folded on the ground had hidden.

"Seems like that shit village of yours has some redeeming traits," he remarked, his eyes catching her own. She felt dizzy; his proximity was having a greater effect than he knew. He ran his finger down her arm, as if inspecting the smooth skin beneath his touch. She wanted to lash out at him or scream, yet her body was frozen, and her vocal cords were locked. "Just imagining my scythe cutting through your skin…it's exhilarating! Jashin-sama would be pleased with a sacrifice such as yourself. I don't think Pein would mind if I cut you up just a little bit…"

He seemed to be talking to himself now, and his hand was automatically reaching behind him for his weapon. Hinata felt trapped – how was she going to stop him? She knew if she attacked him the only thing it would get her was a blade through her chest, something the missing-nin was obviously contemplating already. When approaching footsteps made themselves known to the two and distracted the man, she couldn't help but exhale loudly in relief.

Deidara appeared in the doorway and inspected the scene before him. For a millisecond the possibility that he would just turn around and walk away crossed her mind, but instead he entered the small, now cramped bathroom and placed a hand on Hidan's shoulder.

"Come on," he sighed, tightening his grip on his comrade. "Obviously you didn't see what you wanted to see, so stop wasting my time."

"Who the fuck made you king of the castle?" Hidan hissed, wrenching his shoulder from Deidara's grasp.

"Last I checked, you still have jobs to be doing, and I have art I could be showing off."

The silver-haired man grimaced. "That's even worse a fate than me cutting her."

"It's okay to be jealous of talent. Now get out."

Hidan's dark purple eyes flickered between Deidara and the girl for a second, and he viciously grabbed a fistful of her hair and wrenched her closer to him. She let out a small shriek, but the look in his eyes silenced her. "I'm coming back very soon, so don't miss me for too long." Letting go, he sauntered back out the cell, closely followed by the blonde. She slid to the ground and brought her knees to her head, wrapping her arms around them tightly as though with this defense she could keep anything out.

_It's okay, he's gone, _her attempts at soothing herself were weak, but they were working all the same. _For now, he's gone, and you're safe. _The _slam_ of a door echoed throughout the entire cellar, and with it her throat opened up, and her breathing became easier. She wasn't sure why, but this man scared the living daylights out of her. For the first time, Deidara's presence didn't seem so bad.

"You know, he came down here to bring us our breakfast," he said loudly. "I'm still hungry – if you don't come I'll be forced to eat your food."

Finding the strength to lift herself off the ground, she decided to empty the bath out later, all of a sudden feeling ravenous. Quickly throwing on her jacket and zipping it up tightly, she followed his voice out the doorway. Beside the metal bed frame was a small plate with a two loafs of bread, some cheese, and butter, and a glass of water beside it. Wasting no time in breaking apart the bread and forming herself two very sloppily made sandwiches, she dug in. As she ate her mind wandered, and the idea of thanking Deidara for his intervention suddenly popped into her head. But that was ridiculous. He hadn't gone there to help her; he went simply to remove the man so he could get back to his own…well, to whatever he had been doing while she washed.

Even so, she was still grateful. She didn't know when she would have to face Hidan again, but next time, she was determined not to rely on luck to help her out. She would deal with it herself.

* * *

Deidara was confused.

Was confused the right word for it? He wasn't sure. Puzzled, maybe, suited the situation more, although it meant the exact same thing anyway.

His eyes followed Hinata as she stuffed large pieces of bread topped with cheese and butter into her mouth, eating as though she hadn't for days. Which, he realized, was exactly the case. It sure didn't seem like enough food to make up for all that time, but it was clear she wasn't going to complain.

But the relaxed manner she had now puzzled, no, _bewildered _him to no end. That sounded better. It placed more emphasis on just how confused he really was. Compared to before when she had first woken up, she was incredibly calm. He hadn't actually noticed her demeanor until Hidan had shown up like the serial killer in a play and scared the living daylights out of the girl. It was understandable; the man had been one of the main players in her abduction. The confusing, no, puzzling, no, the _bewildering_ part was that once he had gone and she was left with Deidara, there was relief in her eyes. He noticed it when she walked to her plate of food, no longer as tense and frightened as she had been a mere moment ago. She was at ease.

As if to test this, he said "Hidan won't be back for a couple of days. He's got another job to do with Kakuzu."

He scrutinized her actions as she froze midway through chewing her latest bite of food, waiting to see if she would say or do anything. She didn't look at him, but she gave him a slight nod as if to let him know that she had heard, and then slowly resumed eating.

_Well, that didn't help much, _he observed. _She's still just as quiet as before. _Turning to the book and half-full plate of food he had discarded moments ago when he had gone to drag Hidan out of the bathroom. He didn't really know why he had done it in the first place. But all the same, ruining the man's fun had made it extremely worthwhile.

The next few hours were uneventful, and utterly dull. Deidara would switch from reading to watching Hinata to practicing some close-range fighting techniques with an invisible opponent and then back to trying to figure out his captive once again. She stayed in the same corner, knees drawn to her head and hiding her face. He would've assumed she was asleep if he hadn't spotted her spying on him every so often, peeking above her legs to stare at him as he moved about in agitation.

Causing the girl to start when he caught her eye, he lay on his back in front of the cell and fixed his eyes on the ceiling. "I know you have a voice," he said, bringing his palms behind the back of his head. "Why don't you do me a favor and talk already? About anything, I don't really care." Silence followed his request. "C'mon! I did give you the privilege of seeing my art, and that clay was part of a nearly depleted stock." Still, Hinata said nothing, merely keeping her focus on him.

Well, at least he had given it a try.

The click of the door sounded from above their heads, and a joyful bouncing sound followed. Tobi appeared in the stairwell with two trays of food.

"Deidara-senpai, how are you?" he asked cheerfully, setting his partner's tray on his abdomen.

The blonde merely shrugged and closed his eyes. He wasn't particularly hungry at the moment and could go a couple more hours without food. Instead he listened to the jangling of the cell door as it was unlocked so Tobi could place Hinata's tray in front of her and take away the old one. The bars swung shut, and suddenly there was a shifting at his feet as the masked man seated himself at the bottom of the makeshift bed.

So he planned to stay then. Deidara didn't mind. At that point anything would've been better than the girl's silent treatment. Unfortunately, he didn't realize until too late that Tobi wasn't seeking his attention.

"Hinata-chan, how's your food?" Deidara wasn't surprised when there was no answer.

"She doesn't speak," he stated in a monotone, opening an eye to gauge his comrade's reaction. Tobi merely nodded before turning his face back to the girl.

"I see; senpai has been mean to you, hasn't he?" he continued nodding understandingly. "He gets like that sometimes."

"Hey, I haven't done a thing!" the artist declared, getting up so quickly he nearly spilt the contents of his tray – a platter of some sort of stir fry – right onto the floor. It was his quick reflexes that saved the food from this fate. He heard a chuckle come from behind Tobi's mask.

"Don't lie!" Tobi scolded, waving his finger as if he was addressing a child. "You've been a bad host to our guest! You should apologize to her right now."

"Apologize for what?"

"For whatever you did to Hinata-chan!"

"…I think I'm just going to ignore you now."

Lifting up the chopsticks beside his plate of food, he began digging into the meal. He didn't feel like getting into a mindless argument just yet. It didn't matter to his partner either way, who was still chatting to Hinata.

Deidara snuck a glance at Hinata. She was eating, but there was that slightly nervous aura surrounding her once more, one which he hadn't felt during the past couple of hours. _Heh, so she's more comfortable alone with me than when other people are here, huh?_ This newfound knowledge gave him some sort of pride. After all, who else could've managed that?

As he scraped the last bit of food off his plate, the sound of Tobi's endless chatter reached his ears. Even without a reply he had continued to talk to the girl of mindless things. She didn't seem to be listening, but then again, it didn't look like she was completely ignoring him either.

_Was she the same in her village as well? _He wondered, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. _She doesn't strike me as a girl who sticks out very much. Ah, well, I'll get it out of her eventually. We have a long time together ahead of us. Might as well put an effort into getting her to open up. _

Who knew; it just might work.

* * *

**Edit: A/N: **Hey readers, drop me a review and let me know you're reading the story? Thanks a bunch. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Thanks for your reviews and favorites, they are extremely motivating. :D  
Enjoy!

* * *

Hinata had completely lost track of time.

She was sure another day must have passed. That at least was clear. Even though she followed an irregular sleeping schedule and had no idea what the time was, the meals being brought in and out by random members of the Akatsuki were enough of an indication.

Once again she woke up on the floor, with no knowledge of how long she had been asleep. Only this time at least she had actually chosen her place of rest. The metal contraption that was meant to be a bed frame scared her slightly, and she feared cutting herself on it and ending up with some disease that rotted her insides. Okay, so that probably wouldn't happen, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Turning her head, she noticed a bowl of ramen sitting beside her, and she bent her arm to reach out and touch it. The contents were incredibly cold, which meant it must have arrived a couple of hours ago. Deciding it was probably her lunch, she slowly slid into a sitting position, feeling slightly groggy and light-headed from her sleep. Beyond the metal bars she had grown so familiar to, Deidara was lying on his side, his back turned towards her.

_It looks like he's taking a nap, _she figured, rubbing her eyes. Looking down at the food again, she immediately lost her appetite. The familiar meal had served to remind her of the blonde shinobi back home who was constantly guzzling down bowls of the stuff. He seemed like such a distant memory. Just trying to picture him was like trying to catch smoke, grasping at the swirling clouds as though it was possible to trap it. But each time she thought she got a handful it, it just escaped through the spaces between her fingers, fading away into the sky as if mocking her.

Konoha was so far away. Maybe she hadn't realized it before, but she certainly did now. Her family, her teammates, her teachers and comrades, they had all become nothing more than figments of her imagination. In this enclosed space, they weren't real. Over the last five days this notion had grown stronger and stronger in her mind, until finally she decided to stop resisting and just accept it. The only reality that truly existed was her, her guard, and the occasional visitors that he received. For now, this was the only reality that mattered.

And at that moment, with the artist asleep and a guarantee that nobody would be coming down for a while, she had a chance to make her first move.

Getting onto her feet, she crept towards the door of her cell, keeping an eye on Deidara the whole time. He remained completely still, except for his chest which rose and fell in time with his steady breathing. Her hands traced the cool steel making up the bars, stopping on the square lock that jutted out. Where did he hide that key? She had never actually taken the time to watch the door being locked and unlocked, something she now deeply regretted. It was common knowledge that you were meant to make a note of these kinds of things. Unfortunately for Hinata, these days common knowledge seemed to escape her entirely.

"Got what you needed?"

Deidara's sudden inquiry brought a surprised yelp from the girl. She stumbled backwards and tripped over the untouched bowl of ramen, knocking it over and falling right onto her back in the process, her head narrowly missing the sharp edge of the bed frame. Already she could feel a bruise blossoming below her shoulder blade, the spot burning with an intense heat. She held back a groan and pushed herself upright, using every possible method to avoid meeting the pair of blue eyes that were fixed on her. Her face was tinged with pink and was steadily growing warmer – she was incredibly embarrassed, not just from getting caught, but also because she had fallen down so unceremoniously afterwards.

A large grin was forming on the blonde's face, and he clamped a hand over his mouth, shaking violently as he tried to hold back the spasms that were taking over him. He was unsuccessful, and promptly gave up on controlling his laughter. The sound of his glee echoing around the room mortified Hinata, and she hid her face in her hands in an attempt to cover up the bright red blush coloring her cheeks.

Thirty seconds later she opened a small gap in between her fingers to look at the man. Although he was doubled over and clutching his stomach, he seemed to have calmed down slightly, taking deep breaths to control the chuckles that threatened to emerge every so often.

"That…was…brilliant," he wheezed, collapsing back onto his pillows. "I didn't think I'd scare you that badly!"

A small snicker escaped from between his lips as he pictured the incident once more. "You sure do have nerves of steel," he teased, unknowingly causing her blush to deepen. "Ah, you're not hurt, are you?"

_...What?_

She frowned and timidly pressed the aching spot below her shoulder blade, wincing when it triggered sparks of pain to shoot down the left side of her back. When she left it alone it faded to simply being sore, which was much more bearable. She avoided touching it again and moved around a little bit, making sure the rest of her body was okay.

"You're probably bruised," he speculated. "At the most. Don't touch anything that hurts, just leave it alone. It'll go away soon."

Without realizing it she nodded her head, and he mimicked the action before leaning back more comfortably and closing his eyes, taking on the appearance of sleep once again. This time Hinata was aware it was a trick, and she had no intention of going near him again. Her eyes drifted to the overturned bowl that lay in the puddle of ramen it had once contained, and her stomach growled loudly, as though it was lecturing her for losing a perfectly good meal.

Alone with her thoughts, Hinata couldn't help but question Deidara's seemingly harmless inquiry to her person. Why had he even asked? True, he had laughed about the whole incident at first. What if she had really been hurt, though? How would he have reacted then?

_He would've done the exact same thing, _a small voice in the back of her head told her. And it was probably right. It wasn't like it was his job to care about her condition. But he would need to know about it anyway, just in case. That was how it worked, right?

"Okay, Hinata, spit it out," Deidara suddenly said, drawing her attention to him. "Why won't you speak?"

The question caught her completely off guard. Her astonishment came about partly because of its casual nature, mostly because for the first time, he had addressed her by her name.

She had gotten used to Tobi referring to her as Hinata-chan. It was odd and slightly discomforting, but it had grown on her. This, however, was a completely different matter. Deidara had never used anything to refer to her before. Every time he spoke to her he would always make a direct remark or comment without actually using her name. Her gaze moved upwards and their eyes met, and she found herself leaning forward slightly, as if to hear him better.

"Normally when we kidnap people – and believe me, the list is insanely long – you don't get enough of their curses and whines and pleas and blah blah blah," he went on, shifting his position so he was sitting cross legged and facing her fully, elbow on his knee and chin resting on his palm. "You're the only person who's actually stayed quiet. I know you can talk, but it's like we cut off your tongue when we brought you here."

_I just don't have anything to say…_

"There's a reason to your silence, but it's not like I'm interrogating you about your village's secret plans."

_So why bother trying to make me talk? Can't you just leave me be?_

"I bet you were always quiet back home."

_I…I do talk…I just tend to leave things out sometimes._

"You strike me as a shy type of person. I don't understand shy people – one should always be showing off their skills when they can, and speaking their mind. Who wants to fade away into the background?"

_It's not like that…s-stop trying to analyze me!_

"Come on, Hinata, you still don't have anything to say? Anything at all. You could start by commenting on that bird I showed you yesterday. Of course, I already know you thought it was brilliant, I could see that in your eyes. But if there's something else…"

…_I don't have anything I need to say._

"Jeez, nothing, huh? I feel like I'm talking to myself. Pathetic."

Hinata couldn't fathom why, but she felt rather guilty for her silence. Deidara had put so much effort into trying to get her to speak. He hadn't threatened her or even gone near her; he had merely asked her. It was actually pretty decent of him. Well, he didn't really need the verbal communication, right? He could just talk to the people who delivered their meals. There was nothing she should feel bad about. Besides that, he was one of her _kidnappers! _He was a member of the Akatsuki! Who knew how many people they had hurt, how many innocent lives had been lost at their hands. They were bad people. They were cruel. Malicious. Heartless.

So why did she feel guilty?

A bubble of frustration rose inside her when she couldn't come up with a single explanation. She was so focused on this task she had given herself that she failed to notice Tobi's grand entrance into the room. He leapt down from the fourth step to the bottom and landed neatly at the edge of his partner's bed sheets, three plates of food resting safely in his arms and three miniature bottles of water in his pockets.

"Senpai, here's your food!" he greeted cheerfully, tossing Deidara's plate over to him and nearly spilling everything he held while doing so. "Hinata-chan, I have some for you as well!"

Unlocking the cell's door, he slid her plate across the ground to her, and it settled before her with a shuddering halt. After that followed her water, and with that done Tobi closed the bars once more and took his usual place at the corner of the room beside the stairwell.

"Tobi, watch my food," the blonde said, getting onto his feet and stretching his arms high above his head.

"Where are you going?" Tobi asked.

"I've been stuck down here for ages," Deidara replied, moving across the room to the stairwell. "I think I deserve a shower break."

"Isn't there one down here?"

"For her, yes. Have you seen the size of my bathroom? It's a freaking broom closet. And there's no shower."

"Go shower, then! I won't tell Pein-sama you took a break."

"I'll be back soon."

Hinata's eyes followed his retreating figure until he disappeared into the darkness. She looked sideways towards the masked man on the other side of the bars, who seemed to be looking directly at her, although she couldn't tell due to the shadows that hid the eyehole in his mask. _Well, better him being here than anyone else, _she thought resignedly, taking a small bite of the sandwich on her plate. _At least I don't have to talk._

* * *

Running a towel over his still damp hair, Deidara moved it down and around his neck to remove the last droplets of water before they soaked through the burgundy vest he had donned. Satisfied with his work, he put the scope back onto his left eye and then tied his hair back, bangs falling forward to hide the small piece of equipment.

Dressed in a new and clean set of clothes, he felt a lot better than he had before. The breeze blowing in through his bedroom's open window revitalized him, and he stood there for a minute just to enjoy the feeling for as long as he could. Through the glass he could see a quarter moon in the sky, surrounded by wisps of light grey clouds that hid the stars around. This room felt…open. That was the best way to describe it in comparison to his current living conditions. Down in the cellar the air was stale and the room was cramped and suffocating. The tense atmosphere it had maintained for the last few days wasn't doing any good either. At least Tobi's willingness to help out got had gotten him almost an hour of freedom.

A knock on his door startled him back into the real world, and he quickly moved to answer it, hoping it wasn't his leader so he wouldn't have to explain why he was just standing around doing nothing. He turned the handle and pulled, revealing the second person he hadn't wanted to run into.

"Nice shower?" Itachi asked, eyeing the man's change of clothing.

"Brilliant," Deidara said. He turned to move past the Uchiha, but his path was completely blocked. "I have to get back down to my job, so move outta the way."

"I've been told to let you know that our spies in Konoha have been in touch. It seems the Hokage received our message, and she's formed a rescue team. They're awaiting orders to leave the village."

"…Huh. Interesting. Well they're taking their sweet time."

"They still have yet to locate our hideout."

"They're slow. Is that all?"

"How is the girl doing?"

"She's fine."

"Do you still want to be replaced?"

The question caught Deidara off guard. "What?"

"Pein-sama has decided that if you wish to stop watching her, you can. He'll replace you with someone else."

"…What's the catch?"

"There's no catch. I'll give you time to think about it."

He turned on his heel and walked back down the hall, freeing the path so that Deidara could make his way back down to the cellar. The blonde descended down the stairs and into the dark of the basement, mentally wishing the light farewell. But would this be his last time walking down these steps? After all, he had just been offered a way out of this! Someone else would come and take over! But who?

The more he thought about it, the less it seemed like a good idea. Kakuzu and Itachi would never do lower themselves to guard duty, and Zetsu was too busy with the numerous missions Pein entrusted him with. Konan was also entirely out of the question. That left Kisame, Hidan and Tobi. Would it really be okay to leave Hinata for hours on end with any one of the three? He wasn't so sure.

He reached the bottom step still absorbed in his contemplations and gave the room a once over. Incredibly enough, Tobi hadn't eaten a thing at all, and the Hyuuga was still finishing off the rest of her meal, chewing slowly as if she was savoring it.

Grabbing his own plate, he sat down cross legged on his pillows and began to devour his food, all of a sudden feeling an insatiable hunger. _Hidan is definitely out of the question, _he decided, munching on the mediocre-tasting dinner. _He'll end up sacrificing her to that god of his. Kisame is just as bad, and Tobi's a complete moron. She'd end up suffering no matter who replaced me._

"Deidara-senpai, you smell great!" Tobi's compliment seemed to bring Deidara out of his reverie, and he looked around as though he had just realized he wasn't the only person in the room.

"…Thanks, Tobi," the artist replied once he had swallowed his mouthful of food. "Hey, did you know that Pein-sama is fine if someone else takes over for me?"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hinata's head shoot up in reaction to his words.

"Of course, senpai!" his partner said, scooting closer to the bars. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark brown muffin wrapped in paper. "Are you going to be replaced?"

"Well the decision is completely up to me," Deidara replied. "I'm just not sure yet whether I'll go or not."

"But weren't you desperate to get out of it before? You even interrupted our meeting just to complain, remember?"

"No, Tobi, I don't remember. Please elaborate."

"Well you came storming in and –"

"I WAS BEING SARCASTIC!"

The artist sighed and rested his hand on his chin. It didn't look like his partner would be any help in this matter. He glanced sideways at Hinata, who appeared to be deep in thought, staring intensely at the wall opposite her. She reached over to her side for a moment and took a gulp out of the half-empty bottle next to her.

_She wouldn't be able to cope with anyone else, _he mused, watching her finger trace circles onto the dusty floor. _I'm incredibly nice to her, all things considered. The others wouldn't even look at her as a human being, let alone treat her as one. And I can't forget whoever replaces her won't be my choice. Pein-sama would just shove someone else onto her without actually considering who. But that won't be any problem for me…it shouldn't matter who she ends up with. Right?_

He groaned. This wasn't helping him one bit. The appeal of the freedom he could have by just saying one sentence was great, yet there was something holding him back. The nagging doubt he had in the back of his head. The slight sense of worry he felt for the girl. This was what he wanted, right? To leave. But it seemed like every minute longer he mulled over the issue only allowed his hesitation to grow stronger.

He would have still been deliberating over the matter had he not heard a small cough from inside the cell. His attention went to Hinata, who was nervously twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

"Do you have any comments?" he asked, knowing he wouldn't get a response. "That's right, what do _you_ think about this, Hinata? Do you want me to stay? Or would you rather someone else come and watch you?"

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it. "Tch, I knew it," Deidara muttered. He rolled his eyes. "It was obvious you weren't actually going to –"

"I….I c-can't say."

Her voice, although low and slightly cracking in the middle of the sentence due to lack of use, rang clearly throughout the room, bringing about a heavy silence. Deidara's jaw practically fell off its hinges as he gaped at her, unable to clearly process any more of his thoughts. She spoke. She said something. She _finally _spoke!

"I can't believe it!" he murmured, the shock evident on his face. "You actually spoke up! Or was I just imagining that? No, no, I couldn't have been! Say something else!"

"I s-said I can't say," she repeated, slightly louder this time.

"Tobi, do you hear her as well?" the artist asked. He looked towards his partner for confirmation. The masked man was nodding eagerly, still holding the muffin he had taken out earlier in his right hand.

"Yes I do!" Tobi confirmed.

"Amazing! What made you finally speak up, Hinata?"

When she didn't respond he exhaled loudly and leaned his forehead against the bars in between them. "Come on, don't quit on me now," he said. "You spoke for a reason, didn't you? Don't go hiding from me again! It was just a simple question."

"Hinata-chan, if you'll keep on talking to Deidara-senpai, I'll give you this muffin!" Tobi held out the small baked good to her, and she smiled slightly at him, not seeming to realize what she was doing. Either way, it caught his partner completely off guard. That was the first time he had ever seen her come even close to a happy expression. Then again, what else would you expect from someone stuck in captivity?

"N-no thank you," she said, bowing her head. She had regressed back to the whisper she had used in the beginning, but just hearing her voice had been enough for Deidara. He knew exactly what he wanted to do now.

"Well, this is as much a reason to stay as any!" he exclaimed, flashing a cocky grin at the girl staring at him. "I knew I'd get you to talk sometime! I'm incredible at these sorts of things. It looks like you'll be stuck with me for a while longer. It's good for you, I know you would have missed me if I had gone, huh?"

The ghost of a smile appeared on her face for a millisecond, but that was long enough for him to catch sight of it. He felt a small knot form in his stomach and took a large gulp of water to settle it down. It must have just been the bad quality food he had eaten.

He waited for her to converse with him once more, but she returned to her usual position behind her veil of hair, hiding her face from everyone. Well, it didn't matter now. He had gotten what he wanted.

"Hey, Tobi, do me a favor and let Itachi know that I'm staying here," he requested. His partner nodded, tossed him the muffin and then ran up the stairs two at a time. Satisfied, Deidara lay back on his makeshift bed, throwing the dessert in the air and catching it with expertise. She could stay quiet just for one more night. Tomorrow, however, he would make sure she had a proper conversation with her. After all, he needed something to look forward to if he was going to get through his sixth day of guard duty.

But at least he was no longer dreading the next day, either.


	6. Chapter 6

Just as it had been the day before, the cellar was dark, musty, and was still the favoured breeding ground for all sorts the bacteria living amidst the particles of dust. The atmosphere still held the same tension, the food came at exactly the same times at the day before, and the same people delivered it. The Hyuuga was seated on the edge of her bed frame, swinging her legs to and fro and staring blankly at her moving feet. She had been there for six days, and during that time nothing had changed. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Something was different.

Hinata had finally spoken.

If Deidara was honest with himself, it really wasn't that big of a deal considering she was keeping just as quiet as before. But even so he took great pride in the fact that he had been the one to get her to talk. True, it wasn't like anyone else had been trying at the time, but that didn't take anything away from the achievement. He had gotten her to open up and actually talk to him. He doubted anyone else would have been able to do this. After all, none of them had the skills he had.

He didn't know what he had expected to happen once he had accomplished this feat. Maybe he had been expecting things to become a lot more interesting as he convinced Hinata to tell him every single detail of her life. The entire day would be a flood of words and lost minutes as time ceased to exist and he would finally be able to take some pleasure out of the job he had been given.

But once again it was just past lunch, and the room was bathed in silence, a state it seemed to constantly re-enter over and over again.

"Hey, Hinata, tell me something," he said. Although he wasn't looking at her he could feel her eyes on him. It wasn't hard to picture the nervous look that must've been forming on her face, and the wheels turning in her head as she tried to come up with something to say. "Tell me anything. Whatever you want. You haven't said a word since last night. I thought that would be over by now."

"...I-I don't have anything t-to say," she whispered. He could hear the crackling sound of her plastic water bottle as she squeezed it tightly between her fingers. _She's definitely nervous._

"If I ask you a question, you'll answer it, right?" he asked.

"O-okay."

"Great! So tell me, what was your life like back in Konoha?"

"It w-was fine."

"Really? Just fine? You're the heiress of one of the most powerful clans in that entire village and you're telling me that life was 'fine'?"

"...It was r-really fine?"

"Jeez, Hinata! I want details, not one word sentences!" His eyes met her lavender ones and they remained there, searching the depths of her very soul. "It's obvious you're keeping things hidden. I don't understand why. When given an opportunity to talk about nothing but yourself, why waste it?"

"I'm n-not used to t-talking only about myself."

Deidara exhaled loudly. "Well that's a crappy excuse," he moaned. "I bet you have tons of things bottled up inside because you don't like to speak your mind. You could say absolutely anything here and get away with it."

"Okay..."

"Don't just say okay!" his sudden exclamation startled her and she broke eye contact with him. "Damn it, girl, couldn't you at least have a proper conversation with me? I don't want another one of your evasive replies – when I ask you a question I want you to answer me properly. I didn't agree to stay here so that I'd be granted with even more of the wonder that is your silence."

She twiddled her thumbs, unable to cast her gaze anywhere else but the floor. "I...I'm s-sorry...I'm just not g-good at these things..."

Sighing once again, he began to massage his temples in response to the headache he could feel coming on. "That won't stop me from constantly bothering you until you finally break," he said. "So don't think you're going to get out of this that easily. Oh, that reminds me; how's your back?"

"Huh?"

"Your fall from yesterday. It looked like it hurt."

"I h-haven't really checked, but I think it's o-okay." He expected her to confirm this by prodding around her back like the first time, but instead she just stayed seated, this time her back arched straighter than before.

For about the fifth time that week he lifted his utility bet from its usual place by his bedside and gazed wistfully at his depleted stock of clay. He knew he had to save what was left of it, yet he was suffering from severe withdrawal. It was a drug to him. He wanted to take the time to create a masterpiece with his hands, and then watch it burst into a molten pool of flames. Lurking around somewhere were the last of his clay spiders and the small bird he had made, ready to detonate with just a single hand seal. He could have added so much more to this small array of bombs. So much time to waste, yet he wasn't even given this privilege. _When I leave this god damn cellar I swear to god I'm going to bury it in rubble._

He wasn't aware that Hinata had been watching him for some time until he heard her voice. "A-are you out of art supplies?" she asked timidly.

"This is my last stock," he replied, squeezing the bag through the bars for her to see. She moved over and knelt in front of it, lifting it close to her face to inspect its contents. "I have to go to Iwa soon and get a completely new batch."

"...Is this j-job keeping you from g-going?"

The question surprised Deidara slightly. "It's not a problem. I just need to be patient."

" H-how long have you b-been an artist?" she inquired.

_Well, this is more to my speed! _He thought, a large smile appearing on his face. "A very long time! I was the best in Iwa – probably still am! My old partner, Sasori, had this crazy idea that art was meant to last for years on end. He was an impressive artist, but his views were all wrong! Art is transient! Its beauty can only truly be seen in that instant before it disappears."

"S-so your...your e-explosions are your art?"

"Correct! And you know..."

* * *

Hinata listened to Deidara prattle on, nodding and making small comments here and there at the appropriate intervals. The smile on his face seemed permanently glued on, and it had finally reached his eyes, setting them alight in a dazzling blue flame. Yes, this was much better than it had been mere minutes ago. She didn't like seeing people disappointed, especially if she had caused it.

While she had been staring at him earlier that well-known feeling of guilt had returned, twisting her insides and reprimanding her for causing his sombre mood. But why? Why had it come back? She thought it had long disappeared since the night before, that it had simply come and gone in the moment. Hadn't she convinced herself that there was no reason to feel bad about anything she did? The situation was still the same. He was one of the bad guys. They were evil.

But he had stayed.

He could have abandoned his job right there. He had made it known upon his return from his shower-break that he could leave and someone else could come to replace him. Hinata had recalled the panic that had taken over her at that moment, pictures of the possible candidates racing through her mind. What if she ended up with the blue-skinned one who had carted her off the wagon, or worse, the silver-haired one who sent chills down her spine? It was only then, going through the possibilities of what horrors could befall her that she realised she had been extremely lucky to end up with this man in the first place. Those others would have never been as patient as him. If she had to choose, she knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt she would keep him there with her.

At that moment she had recognized that there was only one thing she could do to make him stay. So she finally allowed her voice to go free. And it worked. He had stayed. To think that such a small thing had so much importance was insane. It seemed as though the need for social interaction was great to him. And, she learnt, it was important to her as well. Being able to simply converse with the blonde, no matter how awkward, short, or bland their 'discussions' would be, was somewhat comforting to her.

"I've got to admit, distracting me like that was smart, Hinata," Deidara remarked with a tone of admiration, his grin growing wider when his words caused a fierce red blush to spread across her cheeks.

"Em...What do y-you mean?" she asked. Her weak acting brought a bout of chuckles from the blonde, and he shook his head, still smiling to himself.

"I'm a pretty intelligent guy," he said. "Although I'll admit you got me in the beginning."

"..."

"Don't look like that! You've actually managed to get me into a good mood. Congratulations!" She suddenly jumped when reached his fingers through the bars to take back his bag. Hinata quickly tied it shut and slid it towards him. Hooking his fingers on the bag's string, he pulled it out with ease and nodded his thanks. "But you're not off the hook just yet. I still want to find out what's going on in that head of yours."

"...Konoha is my home. I have n-nothing bad to say about it."

A spark of something shot through his eyes so quickly that she couldn't identify it. "So you finally answer, eh? I want the truth though, not some pansy-ass bullshit story about how every single shinobi there is absolutely amazing."

"M-my friends are good p-people! And my village m-may have its downsides, but your home is your h-home, faults and all."

"Oh really?" the sceptical look on his face told her that even though she was being as honest as she could, he knew it wasn't the full truth. "Hinata, over the three days prior to when Kakuzu and Hidan grabbed you, we had our sources in Konoha write up full reports on every possible target."

"W-what?" her voice came out as barely a whisper as she watched him pull out a parchment from under his pillow. _When did he bring that in? I've never seen that! Was it while I was asleep?_

He untied the parchment and rolled it open, the dried paper covered in small black scribbles. "Tobi brought this to me last night, but I didn't think I would have to read it. I thought I could find out everything I needed to know about you from you yourself. Apparently I'll need some outside help." She watched his eyes go over the script, watching his eyebrows shoot up every now and catching all the furtive glances he snuck at her.

It was only while he was reading that something he had said clicked in the back of her head. _Every __**possible **__target. _Although she knew there was a very low chance of him answering her question, this was the only time she felt courageous enough to actually ask.

"W-why did you take me?" she asked in the loudest voice she could muster. She thought he hadn't heard her when he didn't respond, and was prepared to repeat herself when he placed the paper on his lap.

"Now why should I answer that?" he inquired, scooting closer to the bars. "You haven't been very honest with me, now, have you?"

"Please." She looked him dead in the eye, hoping he would understand just how desperately she needed him to tell her what she wanted to know. Until now she had merely accepted her captivity, determined to survive before anything else. The questions she had asked herself when she had first arrived had simply ceased to exist. But now they were back with a vengeance, and they didn't plan on leaving any time soon.

Whether Deidara could see this or not was completely unknown to her, but she felt a spark of hope flare in her chest when he resignedly leaned his forehead on the bars and began to speak.

"Guilt, huh? That's an incredibly unfair tactic to use." His gaze moved back down to the paper on his legs. "There are two ways to answer your question. _Why _we took you is simple. Revenge. Your friends are the reason my partner Sasori is dead. And they thought they could get away with it. We wanted to show them otherwise."

As he talked she shifted her position so that she was right next to him on the other side of the bars. So that was why they had kidnapped her. In their eyes, this was justice, a rightful punishment to bestow upon the villagers of Konoha. Realizing that he was still explaining, she fixed all her senses on him once again.

"Did that satisfy you, or do you need to know more? Because there's not much to add. Although you aren't exactly known as the Hyuuga clan's greatest treasure, your social ranking doesn't matter. But your comrades! Could you imagine their reactions when such an innocent and delicate flower is taken thanks to the actions of one of their own? I bet they were pretty pissed off. Maybe so much that their emotions might 'cause them to act without thinking. To do something they'll regret." Hinata's blood ran cold as she understood what he was saying. "According to this beauty right here you have a lot of very protective friends, your little knights in shining armour. Can you picture the moment when they all begin to turn on each other, blaming one another for what's happened to you while all along we taunt them and tease them because unless they find us they will never be able to find you? It's –"

"S-stop," she said. "I d-don't need to know anything more."

"Aw, and he was getting to the good part!" someone complained.

Both heads snapped up and turned to the stairwell, where Kisame's tall figure could be seen seated on the second to last step, arms resting on his legs and Sameheda strapped to his back. He must have been there for at least a couple of minutes, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"I don't see any food," Deidara commented, looking his comrade up and down. "If you're not going to be useful you might as well just leave."

"What, and miss all this?" Kisame asked, motioning with his hand at the scene before him. "I want to hear more of this story!"

"Are you sure? 'Cause I'm hungering for some shark soup right about now, and I don't think I'll be able to control myself."

"Ha ha, you're hilarious. Sadly for you I'm in an amazing mood, you won't be able to rile me up so easily. Open up the cell now, I have a job to do."

Hinata's muscles tensed as he approached the prison, reaching his hand into his cloak to take a small dagger out, which he twirled in between his fingers with expertise. "What are you talking about?" Deidara asked suspiciously as he removed the key from his pocket.

"Those Konoha-nin are horrible at their jobs," he muttered under the click of the lock, his voice so low only Deidara could hear what he was saying.. "They're taking their sweet time finding us. Pein-sama thinks it'd be best to show them just how serious our letter was."

"With that?" the blonde gestured at the knife as he unhurriedly pushed the door open with his shoulder. Hinata slowly shrank back, the glint of Kisame's weapon in the low light sending a shudder down her spine. "Just what the hell are you planning to do?"

"Take the first step." A wide, toothy grin spread across his face. "Unfortunately Pein-sama refused the idea of cutting off her ear, so I have to settle with the girl's hair instead." Hinata was oddly comforted by this information. Her hair. That wasn't so bad. She could live with the loss of a few clumps of hair. It was an extremely welcome alternative to any functioning body part. "We're going to deliver it to her friends back home. Can you picture the look on their faces once they realise what they're holding in their palms? I'm still trying to convince them to let me hand it over personally so I can get a front row view."

Kisame's smile grew even broader, but Deidara wasn't even sporting a smirk. "Aw c'mon, I promise not to shave her head! It's just a couple of inches, so you'll still have something pretty to look at while you're stuck down here. In fact, I'll let you cut some off as well in some fancy artistic way!"

The artist folded his arms across his chest, irked by the man yet also slightly amused. "I'm not a fucking hairstylist. Do whatever you want on your own."

Hinata didn't hear anything, nor did she even see the man approaching her. She was doing exactly what he had suggested earlier – she was picturing what her friends would look like if they received a message like that. And it was horrible. Would she really just sit by and give him something that he could use to hurt them? She knew what her comrades were like, and she knew exactly how this could set them off, especially the much worse-tempered ones such as Kiba and Naruto. Apparently the Akatsuki knew this just as well, and had plans to use this to their advantage.

So naturally, when he came at her with the dagger and an insane look in his eye, she ducked under the arm that reached out to grab her and sped over to the opposite corner of the room. The veins around her eyes popped out as her Byakugan activated, and with her back to the wall she slid into a fighting stance, ready to block her opponent's chakra at the next chance she got.

Deidara's eyes widened slightly at her actions, and he glanced towards Kisame, who also seemed rather bemused. "So, she's still fighting, huh? I would've thought a fragile little girl like this broke ages ago. You're too soft on her."

"How the hell would you know?" Deidara hissed, sounding insulted. "Maybe she's just spurred on by that repulsive fish-smell you carry around with you."

Hinata watched the two closely, waiting for either one to come and attack. But neither did.

"You're her guard; get her to stand still while I cut off her hair! Unless you'd like me to take some of that excessively long hair of yours instead?"

"It's your job! Go and deal with her yourself!"

"You know I'd love to, but if she keeps on moving I really might just end up cutting off her ear. Pein-sama wouldn't be pleased, but personally I wouldn't mind it at all. Well? What are you waiting for?"

"...God dammit."

The blonde sourly strode in the cell, his eyes shooting daggers at Kisame. The Hyuuga backed further into the corner but the wall was blocking her path. She was trapped. Her eyes moved frantically as she struggled to conjure up any possible plan, but nothing came to her.

"Look, Hinata, would you please just let him cut off some of your hair so I don't have to smell him anymore?" Deidara asked, raising his arms in surrender when he saw her fingers twitch as though she was just about ready to jab him in the throat.

_Do you really think that's going to work? _She yelled at him on the inside, cursing her vocal chords for not allowing the words to escape their confines. _YOU WANT TO USE ME AS A WEAPON AGAINST MY FRIENDS! I CAN'T ALLOW THAT! I WON'T LET YOU!_

But even with this resolve, as he came closer and closer, she couldn't bring herself to attack him. There was something holding her back. Something that stopped her from lashing out. What was it?

Thoroughly confused and preoccupied with her hesitation, she left herself completely open for him to grab her shoulders and spin her around, securing her wrists with his hands. She winced at his tight grip and struggled against him, pushing and kicking with the heel of her foot, but it was too late. Her indecisiveness had led to her demise. As she realised this, her Byakugan slowly shut itself off. It was over. She had lost.

There was nothing she could do to stop Kisame from taking a handful of her hair and bringing the dagger straight through it, taking inches of the dark blue locks away and leaving her with a crooked length of hair that barely reached past her shoulders. Just as quickly as it had started, it was over.

Kisame picked up the stray bunches that had fallen to the floor and clenched them tightly in his fist. "This'll do perfectly," he stated, patting his friend on the shoulder as he released Hinata. "Seems like you're not that useless without your clay after all."

"Shut the hell up and get lost already," Deidara muttered darkly, firmly shoving Kisame out of the cell and then removing himself from it. The blue-skinned man seemed slightly confused by his friend's attitude, but all the same he waved a hand and left the cellar, leaving the Hyuuga and her guard alone once again.

Hinata was staring at the ground, breathing heavily as she attempted to come to terms with what she had just allowed to be done. Her hair, that didn't matter to her. But her friends did. And she had just given their enemies something to use against them. _I just let them do what they pleased_. Their empty threats wouldn't have worked for long, but now she had given them a tangible weapon. A warning to use. All because she had hesitated. _WHY DIDN'T I STOP HIM?_

Completely engrossed with her disgrace, she barely discerned that Deidara hadn't locked the cell door as he should have done. Instead he had entered the barred section of the room once again, this time approaching her with no caution whatsoever. He walked right up to her and frowned, leaning his face in close.

"You're crying," he observed. She hurriedly wiped the watery trails off her cheeks and looked away, trying to ignore the hovering man. "H-hey, stop that! Seriously, I'm getting really uncomfortable here! I'm sorry about your hair, but it doesn't look bad! It'll grow back! And it'll even out too! So stop crying!"

_Does he really think that it's as shallow as that? _She thought, staring at him with disbelief. _No, he has to be joking! This can't be right!_

A look into his deep blue eyes told her something that shocked her deep into her core.

She was right. He _was_ joking. Well, maybe not intentionally, but he knew it wasn't really about her hair. His discomfort was clear, but there was also something else there. Was he actually _worried_?

He wasn't very surprised when she smiled. He was, however, completely startled when she began to laugh.

It was as if all the hysteria she had bottled up inside since the moment she had arrived had somehow escaped its prison and now had the freedom to take over her, sending her reeling over in a fit of side-splitting giggles. Everything she had kept inside – her anguish, her fears, her hopes, she released in a torrent of laughter that flooded all over the entire room. For the first time, she felt absolutely nothing but pure bliss. It was intoxicating.

She went on until her stomach couldn't take it anymore, her hands clutching her sides as sharp pains shot through them. It took an immense effort to control herself, but once she managed to subdue the last of her hysterics she was finally able to take in the world around her once more, although the tears streaming down her face didn't exactly help clear anything up. Through blurred vision all she could see was the dumfounded expression on Deidara's face as he appeared to contemplate his next words carefully.

"Are you alright?" he finally said, crouching in front of her. When had she fallen onto her knees? She didn't remember. Her hands stroked the floor, as if the cool stone beneath her fingertips would somehow aid in clearing her mind.

He repeated his question, and she merely nodded in response. It would be okay. It had to be. Her friends were strong, they would take whatever the Akatsuki shot and them and fire it back tenfold. And next time, she wouldn't allow them to do anything that would hurt her comrades. She had to be strong for them.

"...I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice so low that she almost hadn't heard him. Before she could ask him if he had spoken he had already left the cell and locked the door behind him. He slid into his makeshift bed and turned his back to her, completely missing the incredulous smile that crossed her face. Now she knew why she hadn't attacked him. Why she couldn't attack him.

..._Thank you._

* * *

**A/N: **And thus concludes Chapter Six. I hope you all have been enjoying the story so far!_  
_

I'd love to hear some ideas for suggestions of scenes or things you'd like to see happen in the future chapters. They won't be stuck down in the cellar forever, so maybe that'll spur your imaginations! If you think of anything then please do let me know, and I'll try my best to incorporate it into the story! :D

Feedback is always appreciated, so please review and let me know what you think. :) Thanks to every one of you who have taken the time to review the story or add it to your alerts/favorites. You guys are awesome.

((Myosotis, I'd love to see the sketch if you could somehow get the link up! :D I'm glad this story has somehow inspired you. c:))


	7. Chapter 7

"What's going on here?"

The door of the Hokage's office slammed loudly against the wall as Kiba stormed inside, a furious expression dominating his face. Behind him the guard who had failed to prevent him from disrupting the meeting bowed an apology and ran off before anyone could say anything to him. Neji and Tsunade looked in his direction. They had been discussing what their next actions would be before the Inuzuka had so rudely interrupted them.

"Kiba, didn't I tell you to be patient?" The Hyuuga asked, shooting a glare at his comrade.

Kiba crossed his arms defiantly. "You tell me we have something new from the Akatsuki and you make me wait outside for two freaking hours? I have no time to be patient!"

"If you would just wait a little bit longer -"

"DOES IT REALLY LOOK LIKE I CAN WAIT ANY LONGER?"

He watched Neji and Tsunade wince at the volume of his yell and then exchange glances, with the former nonchalantly moving a bit more to the side as to block his friend's view of the desk with his back. The action did not go unnoticed; it was fairly clear to Kiba what was going on.

"Whatever you're hiding, I need to see it," he said, seemingly calmer than before. Even though he could hide the rage from his voice, the turmoil in his eyes was clear to all. They couldn't show him yet. It would kill him.

Tsunade rose from her seat and moved towards Kiba. Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, she turned him back towards the door. "Now is not the time."

"I can smell it, you know," he informed her, watching her eyes widen with realization. "I can smell _her_. I don't know what you're keeping from me, but all you're doing is letting my brain run wild with all these possible scenarios of what they could have sent, and believe me when I say it's not pretty. Whatever you have there can't possibly be as bad as what's going on in here." He placed a finger on his temple to emphasize his words, and waited as they silently deliberated this.

He wasn't exaggerating. And he certainly wasn't lying. Kiba was tired of just sitting around and waiting to get information when Hinata was somewhere out there trapped with a group of criminals with no way of escape. She had been gone for an entire week now. How was she holding up? What were they doing to her? Was she okay?

For the last seven days he had secretly scouted the perimeter of the village every night, each time going out a bit farther, searching for any information or hints that could lead to the girl's whereabouts. Yet his search bore no results and he each time he failed led to his frustration building up higher and higher, threatening to burst out of him at the slightest provocation.

But now that there was something – news, a hint, whatever Tsunade and Neji were concealing from him – there was hope. And that helped keep his anger at bay.

The Hyuuga gave a resigned sigh and swiped his hand over the desk, holding out his open palm for Kiba to see what he had just picked up.

"Is that...hair?"

Kiba stared in disbelief at the thick bundle of long, dark blue hair wrapped neatly in a snow-white ribbon. There was no mistaking that colour, that hair, that scent. This was Hinata's hair.

"They...They _cut_ her hair off?" a picture of a nearly-bald Hinata slipped into his mind, and he quickly shook it out, knowing that her hair couldn't possibly be that short now. But another look at the long pony-tail in Neji's hand made him unsure of himself. "Why? Why would they do that?"

"Tsunade-sama found this on her desk this morning," Neji replied. "It came with a note. It's a warning. Apparently this is only the beginning."

"Who delivered it?" Kiba asked, leaning in and sniffing the pony-tail. Her scent was tainted by her environment, but it was still there, it was so recognizable. He felt like they were mocking him with this piece of her, taunting him with the fact that he hadn't been able to find her, let alone rescue her.

"We don't know," Tsunade admitted. "The guards nearly caught the messenger when he was sneaking out, but he slipped right out from between their fingers. Kiba...Are you alright?"

He looked down at his hand, where his fist had clenched around the hair so tightly his knuckles were turning white. No, he couldn't blow up now, even if they had let their one possible lead sneak away into the night. No matter how absolutely infuriating that was, he couldn't let it block the bigger picture. There still had to be something, right? Something the messenger must have unintentionally left behind. A mistake. It couldn't have been so perfect.

Crossing back over to the door, he looked the hallway up and down. "Show me the path he used." Tsunade raised an eyebrow as the Hyuuga shrugged and led Kiba to one of the lesser-known pathways of the Hokage's office. It had clearly been disturbed recently, with clear patches on the floors and walls where the dust had been unsettled and scuff marks on the ground. There were two doors facing each other, and a window marking the end of the hallway. The window had been completely shattered, leaving nothing more than a broken pane decorated by pointed shards of glass that had managed to survive.

"He broke through the window?"

"Apparently."

The unfamiliar scent hit him with such strength he found it was the only thing he could concentrate on. There was something here, something that belonged to the messenger. He could smell it so clearly that he could nearly even taste it, too. But where was it? He could feel the stares of curious onlookers as he continuously sniffed the air and scrambled from side to side on a mad hunt for this treasure, this one lead. Finally he reached the broken window that marked the messenger's escape route. There, impaled on a shard of broken glass was a small torn piece of black fabric. Carefully bringing the shard to his face, he turned and sent a grin towards Neji.

"We're leaving. Now."

"What?"

Neji chased after Kiba as he ran back to Tsunade's office, confused by his friend's behaviour. How did finding that one shredded piece of cloth help anything? Tsunade met them halfway there, having already been heading to them in order to see what was going on.

"Tsunade-sama, we're going to track that guy down with this," he said, showing her the fabric. "His scent is strong. I'm sure I can find him if I try."

"Kiba, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. We don't know who he was, let alone whether he went back to the Akatsuki's actual hideout..." she trailed off when she noticed the look on his face. His eyes were brimming with a determination she was very familiar with. He wasn't going to back down just because she didn't approve. He was a Konoha-nin. They didn't give up without a fight.

"I'll take the team, or I'll go alone. I don't care how slim my chances may be. I'm not waiting any longer. Hinata needs us, and no matter how small a clue this is, I can use it. If we find the messenger, he could be our ticket to the Akatsuki's new headquarters. We have nothing else to go by."

"Well, if you're sure –"

"I've never been surer of anything in my life."

"...Alright then. Your team has been ready for a while now, although I can't send any of the older shinobi with you on such short notice. Kurenai was supposed to go with you but she's out of town on a mission...Neji, you're the highest ranking of your team – I'm holding you responsible for keeping us informed at all times. Understood?"

"Of course," Neji replied.

Kiba couldn't help the large grin that spread across his face. Finally, they were going after her! _Don't worry, Hinata! We're coming for you._

* * *

_She was running down the streets eagerly in search of her friends, so happy to finally be back home. Konoha. It was amazing how beautiful the village looked to her, even in such gloomy weather. The sky was overcast with dark gray clouds and thunder rumbled in the distance, and small drops of rain began to fall onto her head. The pitter-patter of the downpour filled her ears until it was beating down harshly on her and soaking right through her clothes. Shivering and soaking wet, she ducked into the first building she found for cover. _

_When she entered the building she had expected it to be empty, given its dark appearance from the outside. Instead, crowding around the center of the room she saw all of her comrades, each one sporting the same dismal look on their faces. What were they doing here, and why did they all seem so sad?_

_A familiar shock of orange caught her eye, and she moved in its direction. 'Naruto...' she thought happily, a small smile coming to her face._

"_N-Naruto!" she cried out happily, placing her hand on his shoulder. This feeling of joy was short-lived, however, as her fingers touched his jacket, and then proceeded to slide right through his shoulder. "...Huh?"_

_She raised her hands to her face, but they appeared to be normal. They were solid and filled in, no holes, no transparency, nothing. So why had she gone through him? She watched him, but he didn't seem to notice that anything had happened. In fact, she realised that nobody had even bothered to turn their heads when she had entered the room. Hadn't they seen her? Now that she thought about it, had she even opened the door? Or had there been no need to?_

_Experimentally, she took a step in between Naruto and Sakura, shivering slightly when she moved right through their bodies as though they weren't there. She kept on moving forward, recognizing each and every person she passed. 'Shino. Tenten. Lee. Shikamaru. Neji.' This continued until finally she was at the center, where she stood facing the back of one of the most recognizable people there. 'Kiba...'_

_The Inuzuka was a statue in the center of this crowd, his head bowed low over something in his hands. Hinata tried to get a peek of what he was holding, but she couldn't see a thing. All she could see was the anguish on her comrade's face, and it scared her. What was wrong with him? With everyone? The atmosphere felt like one of a funeral rather than any friendly social gathering. But they didn't have anything or anyone to be mourning. Right?_

"_Hinata," he whispered, catching her attention. She gave a start. Could he see her? But he wasn't looking in her direction. "...Why, Hinata? Why did you let them do this to you?"_

"_W-what are you talking about, Kiba?" she asked, waving a hand in his face. "Kiba! What's going on?"_

"_Couldn't you have waited just a bit longer?" he exclaimed suddenly, raising his head. His eyes were brimming with agony, and the Hyuuga felt a pang in her chest. Had she done this to him? Caused him so much pain? But how, why? What did he mean? What was he talking about? "Hinata...we were coming for you. We were so close. I was so close. I tried so hard...and..."_

_He became quiet, and his gaze moved back to his palms, as did hers. 'The hair!' she thought with surprise as she sighted the long blue locks. Only, something was off. A couple of the strands were blue, but the rest appeared to be covered in a dark red, sticky substance that stained Kiba's fingers. In the pit of her stomach she could feel the beginnings of dread. No, that couldn't be what she thought it was. _

_She watched Kiba toss the hair to the ground in disgust. "We were too late. I'm sorry, Hinata. I'm so sorry. It's our fault you're dead. No, it's my fault."_

"_I'm not dead, Kiba!" Hinata cried out, desperate to stop the tears threatening to flow from his eyes. She wasn't dead. She just couldn't be dead. That wasn't right. What was going on here? If only he would just look up, he would see that she was there. "I'm right here! Please, listen to me! Why can't you hear me?"_

_Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and everyone in the room turned their heads and began to file out of the room, the Inuzuka at the end of the line. "Wait! Don't go!" She tried to follow him out, but the door slammed shut in her face. She pounded on it with all her strength, but it wouldn't budge. There was no way to escape the room, the bloodied hair on the ground. Everyone was gone. They had left her. She was alone. _

"_I'm alive! I'm right here! Kiba! Please, don't leave! Don't leave me here alone!" she choked back a sob, and slid to her knees, burying her face in her hands. "Don't give up on me..."_

Hinata woke up with a start, gasping deeply and completely drenched in sweat. She fought to control her breathing, drawing her knees to her chest and resting her forehead on them. _It was just a dream, _she told herself. But it had felt so real, so intense. _It was just a really bad dream. _

Looking over to Deidara's bed, she could tell that he was still asleep. _Really _asleep, not just faking it this time. _Thank goodness. I can't deal with him right now... _As silently as she could, she got up and tiptoed into her bathroom, taking care to shut the door softly behind her. Ever since Hidan's uninvited visit she hadn't used the bath; it was even still filled with the same filthy water. Hinata wrinkled her nose and searched around for anything she could use to empty it. She spied a bucket she hadn't noticed before in the corner and used it to empty out the tub until there was nothing left at the bottom but a small puddle.

She slipped her jacket off and then switched on the tap, cupping her hands under the steady stream of water and splashing it onto her face. The cool water washed the sweat off her cheeks, and then her neck and arms, and helped clear her head. Only instead of doing away with her nightmare it only served to bring it back to mind once again.

She had died. And her friends had been mourning her. Was her subconscious trying to send her a message; that she was going to just let herself be killed when the time came? All this time although she had blocked out her friends from her mind, a small part of her was always hoping and praying that they would come find her. That they would rescue her. Even now she still didn't doubt that they were doing whatever they could to track her down. She had faith in them. Just not in herself.

But why? Deep down inside did she think that she wasn't strong enough to survive, or worse, that she would be the cause of her own undoing? After all, she hadn't been able to raise her hand at her guard when she had her chance. But he was different, wasn't he? Unlike everyone else she had seen, with the exception of Tobi (who was a bit on the odd side) he had shown no intentions of wanting to hurt her, and had even helped her out time and time again. Was she letting herself be taken in by him? What if it was all an act, to get her to trust him so that when the time came, he could get rid of her easily? Was she weak for hoping that just maybe, someone in the Akatsuki had the smallest bit of decency in them?

_I heard it though, _she thought worriedly, twisting a few strands of hair around her finger. _When he apologized. Remorse. He can pretend to be nice, but can someone truly fake an emotion like that? It sounded real, it __**felt**_ _real. Or maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it was..._

Shaking her head, she decided mulling over the topic would only confuse her even more. Her dream was just a dream, yet at the same time it had opened her eyes. Time was running out. She wouldn't survive here. And she couldn't just let her captors do whatever they wanted. She needed a plan of escape.

"Hinata, where'd you run off to?"

Deidara's voice reached her through the door and she felt a slight flutter in her stomach. Weird. She exited the bathroom and saw him heading to the stairs, stretching his arms out before him.

"Someone else is going to come watch you for a few minutes," he informed her as he planted his foot on the first step. "I have to go check in with my leader."

"O-okay." She nodded at him and he bounded up the steps, eager to get out as quick as he could. _I shouldn't trust him...I know that...But I think, as long as he's the one down here, I'll be okay for some more time._

She heard a creak coming from the stairwell and looked up at the dark passageway, listening to the loud approaching footsteps.

"Guess who?"

_Oh god. Not him. Please let it be anyone but him. _The silver-haired figure came into the light and shot her a wide grin. "Did you miss me?"

* * *

Deidara sat down on the plush leather chair across from Pein's, preparing what he was going to say in his head. _Pein-sama, my supplier can't come here. I need to go get more clay from him, meaning I have to go to Iwagakure. _That would be simple enough to say, wouldn't it? But how would his leader react? He had, after all, rejected his offer to replace him with someone else. And now here he was asking to leave. _I should've just said yes before. Guess I got too caught up..._

"Deidara," Pein started, leaning backwards in his chair. "I hear you're out of clay."

That caught the blonde off guard. Had his leader somehow managed to read his mind? It wouldn't be surprising, the man was a plethora of mystery. "...Yes. My supplier can't come here since I can't let him know where we are, so –"

"Then you need to go to him."

"...I do?"

"Yes. You're completely useless without your clay. Sending you to Iwa to get what you need is the best option we have.

"Okay!"

But there's a catch."

_Ah crap, I knew this was too good to be true. _"What is it?"

"You're taking the Hyuuga with you."

Out of all the things the blonde had expected Pein to say, none of them came even close to this. Why on earth did Pein want him to take Hinata along? Wasn't that the same thing as giving her back to Konoha gift-wrapped? Although he knew he was never supposed to question the man's orders, this time it seemed the rule just didn't apply.

"Why?" he finally managed to ask.

"In a few days, those Konoha shinobi will have found this hideout," the orange-haired man explained. "We don't want them to get the girl so easily."

"Wait wait wait, how the hell will they find us?"

"Because we left a clue for them."

"Why would you do that?"

"What can I say? We got bored."

_Is he being serious? _Pein ignored the incredulous look on Deidara's face and continued speaking. "You'll take her with you, and then when they get here, they won't find her. Stay with her in Iwa until we contact you. And then we'll see how it goes from there."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Deidara said. "She's not going to willingly go with me, let alone travel for days on end with me. She'll just escape into the night while I'm asleep."

"I think she'll actually be rather grateful you're taking her with you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Hidan's about to show her what can happen when you're not around to help her."

Deidara shot out of his chair so fast his movements looked blurred. "What?" The silver-haired man had returned from his mission earlier while the blonde was asleep. He knew Hidan had been sent to go take his place watching Hinata, but he had never expected that there had been an ulterior motive to this. "What is he going to do?"

Pein shrugged. "Who knows, whatever he wants, I guess. You should go back though, stop him from going too far. You leave tonight."

He had barely finished talking when Deidara stormed out of the room, mentally kicking himself for ever leaving the girl under Hidan's supervision. _I should've expected this! _ Picking up his pace, he began to jog, and then run to the basement's staircase.

Jumping down the steps two at a time, he landed with a thud right in front of the cell. Its door was wide open, and Hidan had was standing in front of the metal bed frame, one arm wrapped around Hinata's neck, the other twirling his scythe in circles.

"What the hell are you doing, Hidan?" Deidara hissed, watching the Hyuuga struggle against the man's grip on her.

"Unfinished business," his comrade replied, grinning maniacally. "You didn't adhere to the terms of my letter. I guess when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, huh?"

Everything moved in slow motion; the triple-bladed weapon inched closer and closer to the girl, and Deidara was torn on what to do. He couldn't attack Hidan, but at the same time, he couldn't let anything happen to her. He didn't know why, but he could feel something deep within him, a need to protect the girl. Because he knew when the man really got into things, it would be hard to stop him from finishing the job entirely.

"ARGH! WHAT THE HELL, BITCH?"

Deidara's eyes refocused on the scene, and he did a double-take. Hinata's teeth were sinking deep into Hidan's forearm, drawing small drops of blood from the man's punctured skin. He tried to shake her off but no matter how violently he shook, she wouldn't let go. Swearing profanely, his first went crashing into her eye and the impact shoved her into the wall, releasing her grip on him.

"The fucking bitch bit me!" Hidan muttered angrily. Upon taking sight of the girl, however, a small smile appeared on his face. "That's going to leave a mark. Speaking of which, blondie, this is your fucking job to do, not mine. Stop being so goddamn nice to her. You're making us all look bad."

"All I know is I'm the one without any bite marks," Deidara said. Hidan sneered at him and then took his leave from the room, waving mockingly at its inhabitants.

Hinata immediately dropped to the floor and stayed there, barely noticing when Deidara disappeared into his bathroom and came back with a small white box. He approached her without caution or care, completely unaffected by her earlier display of violence. Hidan had had it coming.

"Look up, please," he ordered, dropping to the ground in front of her and settling himself there in a cross-legged position. She did as she was asked, revealing to him the shallow cut on her lip and her already-bruising eye. He opened the box and took out a tiny circular container.

"W-what's that?" Hinata asked, eying its contents with suspicion.

"Just something for your injuries," he replied vaguely, dipping a finger into the beige contents of the container. He reached out to apply it to her eye but she shied away from his hands. "C'mon, hold still now. I have some good news for you."

He wasn't sure whether she stopped moving because she was curious to see what his news was or because she just really wanted the ointment. Either way he took advantage of the moment to begin applying it around her eye.

"I have to go to Iwagakure to refill my clay supply," he said. Her eyes widened slightly at this, and he realised it implied that someone else would be taking his place. He chuckled. "I'm touched you think so highly of me. But what I mean is, you're coming with me."

"...Eh?" She stared at him in confusion, and he stopped in his actions to explain it to her.

"Well, you see..." he immediately shut his mouth, realising that he couldn't tell her he was taking her because her friends were on their way to get her. It'd definitely cause trouble in the long run, and he wanted a peaceful journey, not one where he'd have to watch over his shoulder every minute to make sure she didn't try anything. "I need more clay, and the leader figured you need some time outside."

He watched her contemplate this, unaware that the only thing running through her mind was her new plan of escape. He thought she was just taking in the news.

"We're leaving tonight," he informed her, rubbing the ointment into her skin with his thumb. She winced, and he immediately lightened his touch, mumbling a small apology. "Hey...Did Hidan do anything while I was gone?"

Her eyes glazed over at his question, and he realised that Hidan must have said or done something before his return. But what? Her silence was a clear sign that he wasn't going to get anything out of her, and he decided not to press her on the subject. He'd have all the time in the world to ask her questions.

"Um...thanks f-for this," Hinata murmured, motioning at the ointment. Deidara felt his cheeks growing hot, and he looked away for a moment. _What is wrong with me? _He asked himself, so distracted he didn't realise that he had finished rubbing in the ointment. The Hyuuga cleared her throat, and he quickly snatched his hand away from her face, trying to keep the blush off his cheeks. _Fucking hell. Something is seriously wrong with me._

* * *

**A/N: **Here we are with Chapter Seven, and the Akatsuki are having fun times screwing with Konoha. Reviews are love, so I hope you'll take a minute to drop one by, feedback and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated. :)_  
_


	8. Chapter 8

"Time to go!"

Hinata opened her eyes and searched for the owner of the voice. Deidara was standing on the other side of the bars, fiddling with her cell's lock. The sight gave her a slight rush. Finally, she would be out of this godforsaken prison! Just picturing herself walking out of that cellar door was enough to make her giddy with anticipation.

She lifted herself off the ground as her guard went through the contents of the two large backpacks he had brought down with him a few hours before. He had started preparations for their trip a long while ago, and she had just sat around watching him, watching and waiting. Her thoughts had gone to all kinds of different things during this time; her friends, her family, and unfortunately, her encounter with Hidan the day before…

**Flashback**

"_I've seen your report, girl," Hidan purred, swiping the keys to her cell off Deidara's pillow. "In your family you're just an outcast, aren't you?"_

_Hinata did her best to block out the man's words, but no matter how hard she tried they just kept on slipping through the barrier. "Daddy gave all his love to your little sister and your cousin; you were just a disappointment to him. A failure. Unwanted by your own father."_

"_That's n-not true!" Hinata exclaimed in a low voice. _

"_You're just a pathetic excuse for a Hyuuga, aren't you? I bet your shit-faced family was glad when we took you. One less mouth to waste food on, eh?"_

_He ignored her glowering stare and unlocked the cell door, both of them listening to it creak as it slowly swung towards him. "I think you have a right to know," he started, catching the bars and stopping their moment. "Your friends and family aren't looking for you."_

_She remained silent as slipped inside the prison. "Our spies, sources, whatever the fuck you want to call them, let us know Konoha's given you up. They tried but failed to locate us, and now couldn't care less if you're alive or dead."_

"_They w-wouldn't d-do that," she whispered, backing away as he strode closer and closer to her._

"_They would! They talked to your father about it – he just doesn't give a fuck anymore. Says a worthless bitch like you isn't worth wasting time looking for. And your teammates can always find someone better to be in their team. When it gets right down to it, you're a fucking weakling, and who needs those? Some like you is easily replaced."_

"_Y-you don't know a-anything," she murmured. _

"_Is that some kind of bullshit you keep repeating in your head to make yourself feel better?" he asked her. He slunk his arm around her shoulder and then around her neck, effectively trapping her in his grasp. She could feel his breath blowing over her ear as he spoke and shuddered. "Pathetic. We told your friends what would happen to you, and they still haven't done a fucking thing to find you. And you still think that they actually give a shit about what happens? If they did, you wouldn't be here. You'd be safe and sound at home in your own bedroom."_

'_Just ignore him,' she told herself as he continued on, speaking in an undertone. He was just doing saying these things to unnerve her. To torment her. She could see it on his face – he was loving every minute he spent weaving his web of lies. 'It's all nonsense. They're looking for you, they're coming for you. Don't worry. Don't listen to him. Just breathe.'_

**End of Flashback**

Hinata shook herself out of her reverie and sighed. Although she knew the silver-haired man's words were nothing more than that, he had still managed to instill some doubt into her. An uncertainty that hadn't been there before was gnawing at her, fueled onwards each time she replayed the scene in her head. Yet even so, the nightmare she had had still loomed in her mind, contradicting everything he had said. Then again, that was just a dream. It wasn't real. But that didn't mean anything, right?

"C'mon, I haven't got all day!" He pushed open the cell door and tossed her the smaller of the two packs. She caught it and immediately placed her arms through the straps, feeling a slight twinge in her back as she did so. _One injury heals, and then I get another, _she mentally sighed, suddenly very aware of the throbbing around her eye. She watched Deidara fold up his cloak and leave it on his makeshift bed.

"Y-you're not taking that?" she asked, gesturing towards it.

"Too conspicuous," he said as she walked to him. "I have other things to keep me warm. And so do you. We've got enough clothes, money and food to get us through the next week, which is more than enough."

He shot a grin at her and waved for her to follow him up the stairs. She obliged and treaded lightly behind him, astonished by just how excited he seemed. There was an extra spring in his step, and a slight twinkle in his eyes. _He must really be happy about getting some clay, _she mused.

They reached the hallway and she looked up and down the path, glad for its dim lighting. She knew her eyes would've been sensitive to anything too bright. She kept close to him as they strode down the passage, mindful of the doors around her. At any minute one of them could open and reveal someone she didn't want to see. Just the idea of it impelled her to move even closer to the blonde. Deidara noticed her actions and chuckled.

"Everyone's asleep," he informed her, taking a right turn to two grand double doors. Then this small room must've been the lobby. Funny, she couldn't remember ever passing through the area. _I must've been really out of it_. "Here we are. The exit. It's a big moment for you, huh?"

"You wouldn't believe," she murmured more to herself than him as he turned the handle of one of them. He pulled it towards him and opened the door, allowing a delightfully cool breeze to rush inside and greet them both. Hinata breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet fresh air that she had missed so badly. Her mind went completely blank as she followed him outside, and her body became immensely aware of her surroundings. She was outside. Even though the large mansion she had been held in loomed behind her like an ominous reminder of her imprisonment, she barely noticed it. All she could hear was the gravel crunching beneath her feet and the wind in her ears, and her view was solely focused on the treetops attempting to reach the twinkling stars dotting the night sky.

The pure, simple joy of being out in the open was something she had never truly been able to appreciate until now. Even though the chill in the air seeped straight into her bones and parts of her body still ached from her time in the cellar, nothing would possibly be able to take away this delight from her. And she would enjoy at as long as she could.

"Where are w-we?" she asked Deidara, her gaze moving to the lone, dusty road that he was leading them down.

"Can't tell you that," he answered, pausing for a moment to retract a jacket from his bag. He shrugged it on and they continued their walk. "But it's going to be a while before we get to Iwa. We have to walk – taking a boat would be easier on our legs but longer, and besides, we don't have a boat. Man, I really miss my clay. If I had had enough we could've just flown there. But on the whole you're lucky you know. You get the immense privilege of travelling with me."

Hinata merely nodded in reply, her thoughts going back to the escape she knew she would have to plan eventually. _Right now it would be pointless for me to just run away into the night. I don't even know where we are. They'd find me, and I'd be captured again, or worse. I'll stay with Deidara for now. I can figure something out later._

It caught her off guard just how little she minded that this was her only option.

* * *

Kiba stopped in his tracks and huffed impatiently as Neji, Sakura and Naruto all rushed to catch up with him. He didn't understand why it was so hard for them to keep up. Akamaru was doing just fine. The large white dog stood to his side panting happily, sniffing the rag in his owner's hand and then the ground, making sure to keep them on the right trail.

"You guys could be a little faster!" he yelled out. Neji was the first one to reach him, appearing to be slightly irritated by his friend's sarcastic remark. "Do you see anything?"

"The main road, trees, trees, and still more trees," said the Hyuuga as he scanned the area once again with his Byakugan. "You'll have to give me a minute to check out each direction further."

"Well we're closer now," Kiba said. "The scent just keeps on getting stronger. I know we're on the right track."

"We've been going on for hours now," Sakura panted as she and Naruto trotted over to their teammates. "And that's all you've been saying. We should take a break, rest our muscles and eat."

"There's no time for that! Hinata's been gone for eight days; we don't know what's happened or what _is_ happening to her. We can't stop just because we're tired. She needs us."

"But –"

"There aren't any buts, Sakura! She needs our help!"

"If we're too tired we won't be able to help her! Kiba, you're not the only person desperate to find her. It's my fault she got into this mess! They were mad at _me_, but they took her instead! The guilt is eating away at me like crazy but I know that no good is going to come out of working myself so hard that I can't see straight anymore. We need to be at our best to help her – not just 'fine' or 'okay'. And that's only going to start if you'll just let us sit down and rest already!"

"She's right," Naruto agreed, planting himself on the damp, grass-covered ground. "We've been going at this since the morning, and now it's late afternoon. It's boiling hot, and I'm bushed. And starving!" As if to emphasize his point a loud grumbling sound emanated from his stomach. "Who has the food?"

Neji opened up the pouch he was carrying at his side and tossed each person their lunch: one small sandwich, just large enough to satisfy their empty stomachs. Kiba grudgingly took his and went to sit on a tree stump a small way from the group. He knew Sakura was right. But nonetheless he couldn't help feeling bad for stopping just to satisfy his own needs when somewhere out there his friend was waiting for him to come get her, to rescue her. _Obsessing over it won't help me, _he scolded himself. _I should know better._

He sighed and took a large bite out of his sandwich. Even though there was nothing wrong with its contents, it tasted like ashes in his mouth, and each bite he swallowed felt like a large lump going down his throat. Great. He couldn't even enjoy the food. At least Akamaru was happy enough scarfing down the treats Kiba had brought along with him.

From the corner of his eye Kiba could see Neji approaching him, a solemn look on his face. Seated, the Inuzuka felt as though he was in the presence of a giant, what with the Hyuuga towering over him like that.

"What's up?" he asked, grimacing as he swallowed another lump.

"I was just checking out the north-eastern direction," Neji said, the veins around his eyes receding until they couldn't be seen. "I couldn't see it before because I wasn't focusing on that direction, but three kilometers down that route there's a small shack. I'm not sure, but it looks like some sort of bar or tavern. Do you think our guy is there?"

"He has to be! Let's go!"

"But they haven't finished eating –"

"Do you think he's going to wait for us to finish eating our goddamn lunch? You know what – I'll go on without you guys, come back me up when you're finished."

Climbing up on top of Akamaru, the dog ran off in down the path Neji had shown them, the scent of the messenger becoming stronger and stronger with each passing moment. Kiba could hear the cries of his friends as they called out for him to wait, cutting their break short to run after him. He chose to ignore them and urged Akamaru forward, catching sight of a far-off building through the foliage. _That must be it! _He thought, feeling a rush of adrenaline surge through his veins.

He reached the place in a matter of minutes and leapt off, inspecting the building. It was small but not nearly as shabby as he assumed. It was actually rather attractive, with its stone walls and wooden thatched roof. A small sign stood a few feet away from Kiba stating the name of the bar. He ignored it and entered through its swinging doors, pausing to allow his eyes to adjust to the poor lighting. Although it was late in the day most of the tables were unoccupied, except where a choice few old men who sat playing a game of cards in the center of the room. Far off at the corner of the counter behind which the bartender stood lazily cleaning his glasses, he could both see and smell the owner of the fabric he clenched tightly in his fist. The man was thin and rather filthy-looking, and was donning a jumper whose hem had a large patch ripped out of it.

Kiba took no time in thundering towards the man and grabbing him by the collar, lifting him off his stool and pushing him against the wall so hard the man flinched at the contact.

"H-hey!" the man cried, struggling to escape the shinobi's clutch. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Tell me where the Akatsuki are hiding," Kiba ordered. The man raised his eyebrows at the command and let out a loud, gruff laugh.

"What are you talking about? I don't know anything about the Akatsuki!"

"Don't lie to me! You left a letter for us from them! Tell me where they are!"

"I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are!"

"Look, kid. I don't know what the fuck you're talking about! So unless you can prove it, get your hands off me!"

Kiba's brow furrowed. He could feel his anger growing, and his grip on the man's shirt tightened. _Keep your cool, _he told himself as he inhaled deeply. _He isn't the one you're really angry at. _He brought the piece of the messenger's clothing he had found up to the man's face. "This is yours. From this exact same jumper. It was in the Hokage's office. You can't deny having been there – _you_ left that letter for us. You're their little messenger man. So you'd better tell me where the fuck those bastards are hiding otherwise I'm going to take you outside and feed you to Akamaru."

He pointed a thumb backwards to the window where his dog's head was pressed up against the glass, a large snarl dominating his features. The man seemed to have gotten the message, and became quiet as he considered his options. For the next few seconds, the room was bathed in silence. The old men had paused in their game to watch the scene pan out, and the bartender was standing at the ready so he could intervene if necessary.

"…On the outskirts of Yugakure there's this big old mansion," the man finally said. "I don't know if that's where they're staying, but that's where I picked up the letter. Now let go already!"

Kiba shoved the man aside and turned on his heel, ignoring the stares of the people around him as he walked out. He immediately leaned against the dusty walls of the building and sighed. He knew he should be happy. Not just that, he should be ecstatic! Now that he had more information, there was finally a destination for them. Yet there was something about that whole scenario that had been far too easy. Did he have any reason to be wary? Or was he just over thinking everything?

A yell caught his ears, and he looked up. His friends were sprinting towards him, all of them sporting the same annoyed look on their faces.

"Dammit Kiba, don't you know how to listen?" Naruto complained, bending over as he caught his breath.

"Sorry 'bout that," Kiba muttered distantly.

"It's fine," Sakura said, slapping a palm over the blonde's mouth before he could whine any more. Neji simply stood by their side, gauging the look on his comrade's face. "Was he there?"

"Yes."

"And? Did he tell you where the Akatsuki's hideout is?"

"The Land of Hot Springs. A mansion near Yugakure."

He noticed Neji's eyes widen slightly. "That's not too far from Konoha," the Hyuuga muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "If we get in touch with Tsunade she can send out a squad of ANBU immediately. They'd be there by tomorrow night at the latest."

"And we'll head out from here to meet them!" Naruto said excitedly. "We're closer to the place than they are, right? It only makes sense that we start heading there now. I'm sorry for getting mad at you, Kiba! You had the right idea! Let's get moving, you guys. Those Akatsuki won't know what hit them!"

* * *

Deidara tossed his backpack to the ground and stretched his arms out above him before plopping to the ground and removing the sandals from his aching feet. "This is a good spot," he said, tossing his shoes aside and leaning on the tree trunk behind him. Hinata gently lay her bag the on the floor and imitated his actions, seating herself on the ground and taking off her shows. She removed a bottle of water from her bag and quickly pulled the top off, gratefully taking a long, refreshing swig from it.

Ever since they left the mansion they had been walking non-stop down an obscure forest path that Deidara had chosen. Their breaks for food had been short and swift; the man hadn't wanted to waste any time seeing as their destination was so far away. However, this tireless twenty-four hour hike had taken its toll on both shinobi, and now that the sun was setting and night was upon them once again he decided it was finally time to call it quits.

The blonde glanced over at Hinata. She was seated cross legged on the ground, staring at a small white flower in front of her. She reached out and plucked it out of the soil and began to twirl it around in her hands. Although her actions had no meaning, she seemed incredibly fascinated by the small plant.

"Is it really that interesting?" he asked, crawling over to get a better look at it from over her shoulder. She immediately shook her head and dropped it to the ground.

"It's n-nothing," she said as he settled down next to her. He picked up the flower and inspected it. Now that he was looking at it closely, he could see flecks of gold and red dotting the petals, disappearing and reappearing as he spun it to and fro.

"It's pretty," he admitted, holding it out to her. "For something that's not going to explode any time soon." The corners of her lips twitched as she took it from his fingers and began twirling it around once more. "That reminds me! You need some more ointment on that eye."

Although he had been trying to convince himself that her injury really wasn't that bad, the purple smudging around her eye told him otherwise. Hidan had certainly done a number on her. At least her lip seemed to have healed well enough.

He reached out and grabbed the straps of his bag and dragged it over to him. Unzipping it, he retrieved the first-aid box he had shoved into it and took out the ointment. He shuffled a bit to the side so that he was facing her and immediately began to apply it to her eye while she kept her focus on the flower she held.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, trying to be as gentle as possible as he spread the ointment over the bruise.

"N-no, it's fine," Hinata replied, giving him a small smile. He gulped and continued his actions, finding it impossibly hard to stop himself from grinning back at her. What was it about this girl? That thing about her that made the blood rush right to his cheeks, that made him want to keep any harm from going her way.

She recoiled from his touch, and he realized he had been rubbing the ointment in a bit too roughly while lost in thought. "Sorry!" he immediately apologized, drawing his hand back. "Too hard! Right! I'll stop if you want."

"It's okay!" she reassured him, moving closer once again. "It j-just hurt a bit. You c-can finish."

He nodded and went back to his task even more cautiously than before, doing his best not to lose himself in his head once again.

"Hey, you know, I really don't want to tie you up," he stated, earning him a puzzled glance from the girl. "What I mean is, you're not going to try running off while I'm asleep, are you?"

Her eyes met his, and he searched them for any sign of suspicion, for any hint that she was planning to turn her back and run away at the first chance she got. But all he could see was the earnest truth in her eyes as she replied, "I'm n-not going to go a-anywhere. I r-really need some sleep myself."

He nodded and drew away from her once more. The orange glow had long disappeared from the sky and an inky black color was taking over it. Hinata pulled out the sleeping bag they had packed for her and lay it out beside her. Sliding into it, she immediately felt warm and cozy, and it only took her a few minutes to doze off completely.

Deidara watched her fall asleep and rested his chin on his palm, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. If it had been with anyone else, he knew this trip would have been a complete and utter bore. That, or a complete disaster. But with her, the next day actually seemed to hold some promise.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm so happy you guys are enjoying the story. :'D Thanks so much for adding this fic to your alerts and favourites, it means the world to me.

Reviews are always loved and appreciated, so I hope you'll take a minute to drop one by. :) Anything you want to see happen in the story, or any suggestions? Feel free to let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** You guys sorry for the delay in this chapter but unfortunately I haven't had internet the past ten days so I wasn't able to put the chapter up. And on a side note, I'm changing my Pen Name from Mestizo to '**The Wandering Fool**', just so you all know. :p Anyway, thanks for your reviews and alerts/favorites, they are my motivation to write and frankly lovely to see in the mornings. :D Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

For the fifth time that afternoon, Hinata glanced over at the man striding beside her, inspecting everything that she saw, from the confidence in each step he took to the distant look he wore, the tensing of his muscles as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. He was...interesting. That must've been it, the reason why she was suddenly so aware of him. What else could it be? Why else would she have started watching him so intently?

_I have no idea what I'm thinking anymore, _she mentally groaned. And it was true. Her world, the one she had lived in and grown accustomed to over the years had been completely shattered when the Akatsuki had abducted her. The pieces seemed to have faded with time, and although her memories and previous ideas remained intact, they seemed so unreal, so made up. The present was the only point in time she could trust, but even now her mind was distracted, wandering left and right without knowing which path was the right one to go down.

On the one hand, she could keep fiercely convincing herself that yes, her friends were coming and they would find her, or she would escape and find them. Then everything would be as it should have been, as if nothing had ever happened. True, there was always the possibility that she wouldn't be getting away from Deidara any time soon. But why didn't that hold the same negative connotations that it used to anymore?

Hinata wasn't sure why she felt this way. Maybe it was merely because he fascinated her in a way no-one else had before. It was clear he could read her like an open book, yet vise versa the situation wasn't the same. She still wasn't sure whether the man offering her ointment for her injuries wasn't hell-bent on getting her trust just so that he could use it to hurt her, or whether his actions were as sincere as she hoped.

But this was just one side of him, right? One teeny tiny side that couldn't be significant in any way. After all, no-one got into the Akatsuki simply because they did just a couple of bad things. He had been personally involved with Gaara's abduction, which had lead to the Kazekage's death. He made beautiful items out of clay to _explode, _to kill people with. He was trouble. Why was that all overshadowed completely by a few simple acts of kindness towards her? Just because he was capable of being nice to her for whatever reason he had, that didn't erase everything bad he had done, or everything that he was going to do. It didn't change the fact that at the end of the day he was one of the Akatsuki and they were evil.

Even though Hinata repeated this to herself countless times, she just couldn't make herself feel any less comfortable with him. These feelings she had towards him – no matter how illogical they were – refused to be pushed away.

"It looks like it's going to rain." It took a while for his comment to reach her, but when it did she realized that a mass of dark grey clouds had gathered in the sky during their trek. They hovered over the travellers threateningly, consuming any rays of light that tried to pass. Hinata zipped her jacket up tightly and drew her hood over her head in preparation for the rainfall. Deidara noticed her actions and began to laugh.

"You sure are prepared, aren't you?" he chuckled, shaking his head. "You should be more relaxed, like me! See? My jacket isn't even out of my bag yet."

"Aren't you c-cold?" she asked. She could already feel a chill seeping through the fabric she wore – how was he able to act so jovial and not feel a thing?

"When you're in as amazing shape as I am, you can't feel a thing," he said, pausing to flex his muscles.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle as he struck pose after pose. Yes, she was comfortable. Even though these circumstances definitely didn't call for such sentiments, nor did it call for this oddly friendly relationship with the person who was meant to be preventing her escape, she couldn't help but be at ease.

_Oh Kami, if my friends knew…_ she let the thought trail off there, unwilling to picture the rest. It was just as well she did, because a small drop of water splattered on her forehead, and then another and another until finally she was smack dab in the middle of a torrential downpour. Normally Hinata enjoyed and even welcomed the rain, but in this case it only proved to be an unnecessary complication. The leaves of the trees surrounding the two travelers were too weak to offer any shelter, and they ran forward aimlessly in the hopes of finding something, anything to protect them. Time and time again the Hyuuga came close to falling as she skidded over the muddy ground until Deidara finally slowed down to hold her elbow and give her some support.

Making use of her Byakugan she searched all directions until finally spying an immensely large willow tree on the banks of a small and shallow stream. Its long branches fell all the way to the ground and created a thick, leafy curtain dotted with small white and pink flowers. _That looks good! _She signaled at the blonde where to go, and they strayed from the immediate path to the left. For five minutes they moved stealthily against the strong winds that threatened to knock them down, never faltering until they reached the tree.

Deidara went in first, brushing aside the branches to create an entrance and held them back for Hinata as she entered as well. Beneath the cover of the leaves stood the tree's thick well-rounded trunk, and a carpet of grass spacious enough for both to collapse upon, panting heavily as they tried to regain their breath. They could still hear the rain pounding down outside this refuge, complimented by the roaring clashes of thunder that would momentarily drown out all other sounds. But at least they had escaped the worst of it.

As her breathing slowed down, Hinata could feel the cold begin to seep inside. Her jacket had been made useless by the storm, completely drenched with water. She shrugged it off and tossed it to the ground. The shirt she wore beneath was only partially wet – that was something, right? But with her damp pants and the icy breeze taunting her every few seconds it didn't seem like much.

"Shit, everything's wet!" Deidara moaned, wrapping parts of his clothing into spirals in an attempt to squeeze all the water out. Both their bags seemed to have survived the shower, as the contents inside, although a little soggy, were completely unharmed. The blonde sneezed and then pulled out his coat. "…Well it'd be pointless for me to use this now. You take it."

He held it out to her but she immediately rejected the offer, pushing it right back to him. "Y-you're shivering," she pointed out. He didn't seem to care too much about the tremors that ran up and down his spine, and refused to take it back.

"It won't help," he said. "And you look pretty cold yourself."

Well he was completely right about that, but Hinata still didn't want to take his jacket. He clearly had the signs of an oncoming cold – another sneeze, a couple of sniffles. He'd be lucky not to end up ill in the next few hours. And to keep that from happening, he needed the jacket.

"I-I'm not taking it," she stated firmly, crossing her arms over her chest and looking around their surroundings.

There were a lot of small twigs and broken branches littering the ground – she could start a fire with them. That would warm the place up in no time. They seemed a bit wet but that didn't look like it'd be much of a problem. She was so focused on this that when Deidara draped his jacket over her shoulders she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"I told you I didn't want it," he shrugged, moving back to his original position. "So, what do you say we start a fire? I'll get warm, you won't feel bad about wearing that, and it's a win-win situation."

The last thing Hinata wanted to do was agree to this proposal, but the soft material on her shoulders urged her to say nothing and enjoy the heat it was providing her. Giving in to its temptation, she set herself the task of gathering a large heap of wood for the fire. _That was nice of him, _she mused, tossing a handful of twigs onto the slowly growing pile behind her. She could hear the blonde doing the same, occasionally stifling a small sneeze as he went about his work. _But I still feel bad…he sounds like he's getting sick. I'd better get this fire started quickly, and then we can eat and wait out the storm. A bit of food will do both of us some good._

When they were working together like this, Hinata didn't feel like she was anyone's captive, a prisoner to watch over. She didn't feel like Deidara was just a man who had been assigned to keep an eye on her. No, she felt something different towards him. What was the word for it? Acceptance? Familiarity? Those didn't seem right.

_Friendship. _

That was it.

* * *

Deidara awoke with a sore throat, a throbbing headache and an intensely hot fever. All of which were symptoms pointing to one thing.

_I'm sick. How fucking brilliant._

Because that day really just couldn't have gotten any worse. The rain hadn't let up for hours after their meal, and he had decided to take a nap and wait out the weather while Hinata went about her own business. Now he wished he hadn't slept at all, not if it meant waking up with his head feeling like it was about to split into two. And on top of that, it was _still_ raining.

Peeking sideways, he stared at the girl as she snacked on one of the apples she had found packed away neatly in her bag. Until she finished eating he simply watched her, noticing how she seemed to space out completely in between each bite.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked, holding back a laugh when she started at the sound of his voice.

"I thought y-you were asleep!" she exclaimed. She took in his tired appearance and frowned. "Are you o-okay?"

"What do you mean? I've never been better."

His voice must've lacked any sort of conviction, because her frown grew even deeper and she moved over to him, reaching over to place the back of her hand on his forehead.

"You're burning up!" Thinking quickly, she drew a small towel from her bag and held it out into the rain where it quickly soaked up the cold water. He watched with slight suspicion as she folded it up and placed it gently on his temple, making sure to brush his bangs out of the way first.

"What're you staring at?" he asked apprehensively when he caught her gawking at the scope on his eye.

"Nothing!" she said, her voice oozing innocence. He nodded sarcastically and rolled his eyes, too distracted by his headache to press the subject any further. "How do you feel?"

"Amazing. I'm a pinnacle of health right now."

"S-sure, sure!"

It was clear she didn't believe him at all, but she didn't say anything. Instead she went over to the tree's branches and moved a few away to look outside. Although it was still dim, the rain had finally lessened into a soft drizzle and small patches of the moon could be seen through the cracks in the clouds.

"I think w-we can get moving again, i-if you don't mind walking," she commented. He struggled to get to his feet and nearly succeeded when a wave of dizziness washed over him and he nearly tipped over, had it not been for the sturdy tree trunk behind him.

Immediately Hinata had him in a half-sitting position on the ground once again, and he was incredibly aware of her right hand on the center of his back and the other on his chest. "Let the tree support you," she was saying, pushing him gently so he was resting against the trunk. Yet he couldn't hear anything. He could only see, and his vision was focused on the lights dancing in her pale lavender eyes and how luminous her skin seemed to be.

_I think this fever's making me delirious, _he thought, his eyes slowly drooping shut. _Delirious, delirium, such interesting words… _

The next few hours were filled with a fitful sleep, constantly interrupted by the pounding in his head and by a sweet, soothing trickling down his throat when Hinata got him to drink some water. He must've been rambling in his sleep, because each time he opened his eyes and heard his voice speaking indecipherable words, she would either giggle madly or stare at him peculiarly. Strange yet familiar smells would come in and out of existence, and with them images would enter his mind; food, flowers, his comrades, buildings, art, clay, Iwagakure, a glowing fire nearby whose flames danced and swayed in time with the wind he was sure he could see…

In the middle of the night he woke up again, only this time he felt slightly better, although the world around him seemed slightly distorted. And shiny. Or was it glowing? Heaven forbid if Deidara knew what was going on with it. He was far more interested in the girl putting a freshly wetted towel onto his head. A small grin crossed his face. She was wearing his jacket. Why did that please him so much? She made as if to move away, and he caught her wrist in a silent plea. _Don't go yet._

She appeared confused, but she obliged and stayed seated next to him, her shoulder barely nudging his. Comforted, he sank lower and prepared to drift away once more, but there was something nagging at him, something that refused to give him any peace.

_She could easily escape now if she wanted to, _he thought, his eyes moving to search hers. _While I'm asleep, she could sneak away. It wouldn't be hard for her to find her way back to Konoha. She must know that. So why is she staying here?_

"Hinata," he started, coughing a bit when his voice came out cracked and dry. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" she asked, genuinely baffled by his question. _She's definitely glowing, _he decided, diverted for a moment by how ethereal she looked in the low light. _Gah, focus, damn it!_

"…Why are you taking care of me like this? You know this is your chance, right?"

"M-my chance?"

"To leave. You know. To get away. From me, I mean. I'm not in any condition to be stopping you really. You could run out right now and I wouldn't be able to do a thing."

Hinata raised an eyebrow at his words, and didn't seem to be taking them any seriously. "C'mon," he insisted, mystified by her lack of interest in his statement. "I'm an enemy, right? Leaving me to rot away here wouldn't matter at all now, would it? Helping me out while I'm down is going to take away the only opportunity you might get. If I were you I would've made a run for it ages ago. Haven't you even considered the idea?"

"N-no, I haven't!" He listened intently to her words, but he could find no deceit in them. They were sincere.

But why? Why would she possibly give up an opportunity like this? He must have uttered these thoughts aloud, because before he knew it she was answering his question. "You…you've helped me a l-lot…you've been nice. I couldn't just _leave_ you here; I'm not the kind of person who would do that. It wouldn't be right."

The corners of his lips lifted, and he couldn't help chuckling when she blushed and sheepishly looked away, also smiling slightly. He unconsciously reached up and brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes, feeling her tense slightly as his touch. But she didn't move away. And that was something.

"You should smile more," he commented. She flushed and even brighter red than before and her eyes met his once more. "You have a really pretty smile. Don't hide it away."

"Your fever's gone up," she murmured, taking his hand in hers and tenderly moving it aside. "Even your hands are burning up. Sleep."

"Want to sing me a lullaby? Don't worry, don't worry, I'm just teasing you." Settling back once more, he closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles. She had no plans to leave him just yet. And he wasn't sure why, but this information was the only reason his smile remained on his face long after he fell asleep.

* * *

Kiba knew she was close. She had to be close. Her scent was here, it was all around him! It may have been weak, but it was there. He had pictured the moment when he found her for such a long time, but now that it was nearly upon them he didn't have a clue what would happen. All he wanted to do was take her into his arms, to make sure she was really there, to hold her, to protect her, to make sure nothing happened to her ever again.

But first he needed to see her. He would be content with even just that.

He knew Neji had spotted their destination when he heard a sharp intake of breath. "Just a couple more minutes," the Hyuuga said, leading them into a thicket of thorn bushes and trees. They couldn't see much due to the moonlight being blocked out by clouds over head, and they had to rely on following Neji's voice if they didn't want to get lost.

"Jeez, couldn't you have found a better route?" Sakura asked, hissing as she was pricked over and over again by thorns.

"This is the fastest," he replied. Naruto shrugged his jacket off and handed it to Sakura to use. She smiled at him in thanks and slipped it on, in slightly better spirits now that her arms were protected.

"I think we're all in agreement when I say we're going to kick some ass when we get there," the blonde said, receiving a nod from each of his friends. None of them thought any differently. They marched on, their boots making loud, squelching sounds as they crossed the muddy ground. Sweat dripped down their foreheads and ran down their noses, and small critters ran to and front of them, annoyed that their sleep had been disturbed by the humans.

Quickening their pace, they rushed through the rest of the undergrowth and emerged through the bushes onto a long and winding gravel coated pathway. Straight ahead they spied what Neji had seen before them – the imposing manor that now stood as a hideout belonging to the criminals known as the Akatsuki.

"The ANBU are here," Kiba whispered, recognizing a few of the new scents that entered the air. He couldn't see them at first, but they were there, inching towards the manor so fluidly they seemed to be a part of the scene, merely a few more shadows flitting about in the night. "C'mon, let's go."

Imitating the shinobi's movements, they crept to the other side of the mansion and waited as one of the masked nin silently removed the glass from one of the many large windows, leaving a gaping hole for them to noiselessly crawl through one by one.

Kiba was the first person inside, tiptoeing across the darkened room and into the empty hallway, trusting his superior sense of smell to lead him in the right direction. He passed a multitude of doors and rooms, but none of which he was searching for. It was slightly suspicious how they hadn't come across anyone at all yet, not a single soul. There were many scents in the air, sure, but all of them were old and faint, and he didn't know who they belonged to. On top of that the atmosphere of the place was completely dead, as though it hadn't been occupied for quite some time.

He blocked them all out, however, and followed the one that really mattered to him, the one that had brought him to this unpleasant house. It led him to a polished wooden door which opened up to a rather steep looking stairwell. _She's here! _Spurred on by the prospect of finally seeing his teammate, he bounded down the steps two at a time, aware of his comrades behind him urging him to slow down and be quiet. But he didn't listen. He just couldn't listen. Did they really think he would be able to hold himself back _now_ of all times?

After what felt like a lifetime, he emerged into a small cellar. The first thing he saw was the faded metal bars beside him, and then the filthy and unoccupied space behind them. Moving quickly, he went inside it, and Hinata's scent hit him like a wave. Was this where they kept her? In this grimy prison cell, forcing her to sleep on what he assumed could only be a metal death trap? But she wasn't there. Maybe on the other side of this door? No, it was an empty bathroom. The other one then, it had to be! _Empty! It's empty as well! Where is she?_

"HINATA!" he heard someone yelling. Naruto, maybe? He just couldn't tell. He was vaguely aware of his comrades entering the room, but what did that matter now? "Kiba, where is she? Kiba!"

"_She's not here," _he whispered, dropping to his knees. No. This couldn't be happening. Not after he had searched for so long, after being so sure of her location. What had gone wrong? Had the messenger purposely lied to them? Or had he been telling the truth? But then why was nobody there? Why wasn't Hinata there?

He heard a loud _crunch_ come from behind him, and turned his head towards the large crater Neji had just formed in the wall. The Hyuuga cursed under his breath and nursed his bleeding knuckles, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. _They got us. All of us. Damn it!_

"You guys are fucking pathetic."

Crazed laughter followed the remark, and everyone began searching for the source. Finally, a tall, lean figure emerged from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with joy and a giant smirk dominating his face. _This scent! He's one of the guys who took Hinata!_

"Where is she?"Kiba yelled immediately, clenching his fists in preparation to knock the living daylights out of the man. His anger only seemed to please this stranger, who began laughing even louder.

"I'm just a clone, you stupid shit," he sneered. "You can't do a thing. Ha ha ha!"

"TELL ME WHERE HINATA IS!"

"Not here. Ha! I love this! That pathetic look on your face, it's killing me! I can't wait to see what you look like when you find her body. You guys were too late! She's gone, and it's all your fault! You idiots! Ha ha ha!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"

"Do you know how good it felt when I slit her throat? Oh, I bet Jashin-sama was pleased, seriously -!"

Kiba lunged at the clone with all his force – and slammed face first into the wall when it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sakura rushed to his aid, immediately activating her healing jutsu to work on his bleeding nose.

He avoided looking at her. He didn't want to see her, to see anyone. He couldn't face them, not now. Hinata couldn't be dead. The clone was lying. She had to be alive. She had to be out there. She had to be waiting for him. Because if she wasn't, Kiba didn't think he could ever live down the knowledge that he had been too late to save her.


	10. Chapter 10

Deidara dipped his feet into the stream, relishing in the water's delicious chill. He peered into the water, spying the small bodies of white and blue fish as they darted around his toes. Although it was nice to just watch them flit about, his interest in them didn't last for long. The blonde was bored. He wished he could've just gone back to sleep, but life was cruel, and he was full of energy. To make matters worse the sun wasn't even up yet, so it would probably be another hour or so before Hinata woke up.

These were the times when he missed his clay the most, and he could feel the mouths on his palms almost drooling as he recalled the pleasure of molding the earth into various shapes and sizes, charging them with his chakra and then setting them off in a blaze of fire. Oh how he missed those regular explosions. He would've given anything to be able to find just the tiniest bit of clay now, but he'd already been into the empty bag so many times it was beginning to tear at the seams.

He sighed and rested his chin on his palm. He was still a bit off, but his fever was getting better. Hinata was one hell of a nurse; even while he was asleep she made sure to watch over him in case he got any worse. Now she was fast asleep, and although he knew she needed the rest, he really wanted her to wake up and find herself incapable of getting back to sleep. He couldn't help it. He wanted to talk to her.

Deidara was used to having different things on his mind. His clay, explosions, Tobi's annoying antics, his missions, training, his loathing for anything Uchiha-related, more clay…there were truly no bounds. But these days his head seemed to be dominated by the blushing face of the lavender-eyed girl he was watching over. What was it about her that had him so absolutely captivated? Normally he relished in the suffering of any prisoner of the Akatsuki's – yet all he wanted to do was keep this girl smiling.

But that was crazy! What made her different from any other girl he had met? She was a Konoha-nin, she wasn't anything special! Sure, she had a cute personality, and _maybe _she had a pretty smile, and maybe she was just about the most kind-hearted person he had ever encountered. None of that mattered! So what if he loved hearing her laugh because every time she did there was this pleasant feeling in his chest? That couldn't mean anything! Could it?

_Why am I even thinking about this? _he exclaimed inwardly, splashing his feet through the water in irritation. The fish immediately swam away, frightened by the man's sudden actions. _Am I…Am I actually _falling _for this girl? That's crazy! Insane, absolutely insane! Smarter things have come out of Tobi's mouth! This must be that god-damn fever talking; it's had me thinking the craziest things all night long. _

Cupping some of the cold water into his hands, he splashed it onto his face, attempting to somehow wash away the thoughts. Unfortunately for him it didn't work; his mind was still stuck on the blue-haired girl.

_Ah, shit._

He got onto his feet and started pacing near the trees, seriously worried about his sanity. Maybe slamming his head into something would help his predicament. Seriously considering this option for a minute, he almost missed the slight, shadowy movement to his left.

Glancing at the tree closest to him, he nearly fell over backwards in surprise. He must've definitely been going crazy, because he was starting to see shapes in the trunk of the tree – a nose, a mouth, hell even two well defined eyes were appearing as well, blinking curiously at him. It was almost like there was a face in the tree, but that was impossible! As least, that's what he thought before he calmed down long enough to realize that he recognized the face.

"Holy shit! Zetsu!"

He leapt back in alarm as his comrade emerged from the tree, hopping lightly to the ground. Zetsu grinned at the blonde's stunned expression.

"Hey there, Deidara," the white-half said, light-heartedly patting him on the back. "**I've been sent to check on you**."

"You could do me the favor of not fucking scaring me like that again," Deidara moaned, swatting the man's hand away. "I have a recurring nightmare that goes something like this, and I always get eaten at the end."

"**I don't eat just **_**anything,**_" Zetsu replied.

"Ha ha, you're hilarious. Did Konoha find the mansion yet?"

"**They did**. Hidan left a clone there to 'explain' the situation to them."

"Lucky bastard! What did he tell them?"

"That the girl's dead. **Obviously they'll figure out sooner or later that she isn't, and Pein-sama wanted to see your progress. I think you've done alright, although you could've gotten farther.**"

"Blame the weather. And this damned fever while you're at it."

'I'll remember to. How's the girl doing? Any escape attempts?"

"She enjoys my company way too much to even consider leaving. "

"**I see. Start covering your tracks better – although finding you two wasn't the easiest thing thanks to the rain I still managed to do it. **There's this one tracker on Konoha's team who's completely hell-bent on finding her. According to Hidan he looked like he took her absence the hardest. **Getting back to the important things, we're still relocating, but once we get settled into the new base I'll find you and let you know. **In the meantime go and get your clay. And go faster this time."

"Fine, fine, just tell me -!"

Before Deidara could finish talking, Zetsu had merged back into the tree and disappeared completely. Cursing to himself, he walked around the entire trunk, searching for any possible sign his comrade was still there. But the man was fast, and was already on his way back to the rest of the Akatsuki.

Well that was great. He had wanted to ask for more information on this tracker, like, for starters, who this guy was. How good a tracker was he? How exactly was he tracking them? And what was his connection to Hinata? Could he be a friend? A family member? A really, really good friend? The blonde refused to contemplate for even a moment that this man could be more than just a friend to the girl. That just wasn't possible. Well, okay, it _was_ possible, but Deidara didn't like the idea one bit.

"You just had to tell me that part, didn't you, Zetsu?" he muttered, grimacing at the tree. "Because I really needed more on my mind right now."

He was tempted to kick the tree where his friend's face had appeared before, but instead decided to express his irritation by swearing profanely at the area. This went on for about an entire minute before he became aware that he wasn't alone.

"Erm…Deidara?"

He must have turned twenty different shades of red when he heard Hinata's voice. Through his peripheral vision he could see her staring at him, a slightly worried expression on her face. "Are y-you talking to that tree?"

_Ah, hell! _"N-no! I was just frustrated."

"But I heard you talking earlier," she said, moving in front of him. "Like you were having a conversation. It woke me up." _She was awake? _Reaching up, she checked his temperature with the back of her hand while he tried to stutter an excuse for his verbal abuse of the tree. "Your fever's n-not too bad anymore…but you still might be feeling its effects. C-come on, you need some more rest."

"I'm fine!" he insisted, swatting her hand away. "Hey – your eye got better!"

While he had been applying the ointment it had been a dark shade of purple, but now the skin had faded to a bearable yellowish colour which would soon disappear in time. "It was my ointment that did the trick," he said proudly as she went to the stream to check her reflection.

"Oh, you're right," she mumbled, lightly stroking the area below her eye. "Thank y-you for the medicine. But now you really h-have to get some more sleep. You're not fully recovered yet."

She took his wrist and started pulling him along behind her, and he let her, only because of the odd yet pleasant tingling sensation he felt where her fingers rested. She made him sit where he had been sleeping before, and then sat down beside him herself, letting out a loud yawn.

"I'm not going to sleep, you know," he told her, leaning back on the tree trunk. "I'm not tired. And we'll have to get moving soon anyway. I don't want to waste time."

"At least rest a b-bit," she pleaded, folding her legs beneath her.

"But I'll be _bored. _You'll have to entertain me, otherwise the only thing I can do is go back to talking to that tree."

"I d-don't know what I should say," she admitted, looking around her as though an answer would magically appear before her.

Deidara contemplated the same thing, and decided that he would be completely direct with her, and hopefully get some of the questions he had answered. Sure, there was a chance she wouldn't reply at all or would refuse to say a thing, but he knew he had to at least try.

"Tell me something about Konoha. Something I don't already know."

"L-like what?"

"Tell me about your love life," he ordered. The Hyuuga's face coloured deeply, and she coughed and spluttered, completely taken aback by his request. She tried to speak, but no actual words would come out, only a strangled sound that made the blonde burst out laughing. "Don't be so embarrassed! Come on, humor me."

Hinata had no idea what to say, and he could see that. "It's an easy enough question! Look, I'll tell you about mine. I dated a couple of girls back in Iwa before I joined the Akatsuki, but none of them really clicked. There. Simple, see?"

The girl could only blush an even darker shade of red, and he sighed and closed his eyes. "Well that's okay then. You're too shy, you know?"

The next ten minutes were left in silence, with him appearing to have fallen asleep and her staring at him, her vocal chords having finally unwound themselves from each other.

"You're asleep," she murmured almost inaudibly. _Unfortunately not, _he thought. "…I d-didn't have any sort of love life back home."

…_Eh?_

"There's this one b-boy who I've always dreamed about, ever since I was a little girl. My best friend Kiba would always t-tease me about it, but he'd try to stick us together in any kind of situation whenever he could. I was never actually brave enough to tell him how I felt."

Deidara wanted to say something, but he knew the girl would immediately stop talking if she knew he was awake. And he didn't want her to do that. He wanted to hear more.

"I think he's in l-love with someone else, though. I r-really like the girl, so I can't feel anything bad towards her. I think I've always known he liked h-her…I just really didn't want him too. But they all seem s-so far away now…and it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would…to think of them together."

She fell silent, and the blonde found himself experiencing mixed emotions. He wasn't sure whether he was upset that she had been and might even still be in love with someone, or happy that she was single and possibly over this previous love.

He didn't want to acknowledge the reason why he felt this way. He just couldn't. If he admitted it, then everything would become real. And there was absolutely no way that he could possibly be attracted to this girl.

* * *

An hour later, when the sun had risen and Deidara pretended to wake up from what he called 'an extremely deep sleep', they began to pack up their things. Both were silent as they did their jobs, equally as thoughtful as the other, fixated on similar yet completely different subjects.

"I'm going to go wash my face," he said, getting up and disappearing through the branches.

She merely nodded, too caught up in her own thoughts to even notice what he was doing. She was still mulling over what she had told him earlier. Why had he asked her about her love life? It was such a strange thing to ask. It was probably just curiosity on his part, but even so, it was as if the idea had come to him out of thin air. After all, it wasn't like he had any reasons to ask her about it.

What really confused her though was why she had actually even answered his question. Maybe it was because he fell asleep, and it wasn't as embarrassing to admit the feelings she had for a boy back home aloud to someone who was unconscious. Or at least, the feelings she had once had.

_Am I still in love with Naruto? _For the last hour that question had plagued her to no end, and no matter how hard she tried to actually answer it, the answer seemed unclear. She knew she still had some sort of feelings for the shinobi – but were they romantic in any sense? It felt like it had been years since she had last seen him, and even thought about him. Her mind had been completely preoccupied with the present, and the only relationship she had ever thought about was the friendship that had formed between her and Deidara. But now that she was thinking about the past, her comrades were dominating her thoughts once more.

Each day she travelled further on with the Akatsuki member, she was getting farther and farther away from Konoha. Farther away from the people she loved, the people she cared about, and those who cared about her. Once again her mind went to her eventual escape – but just like the blonde had said she would, she missed her best possible chance. Strangely enough, she didn't regret this. She knew if she had left him on his own while he was sick she would've never gotten over the guilt it would have caused her. She just wasn't the kind of person who would take advantage of a situation at someone else's expense.

Finished with her work, Hinata was just closing up her bag when she caught a glimpse of her still-damp jacket lying to the side. _I'm still wearing Deidara's jacket, _she realized, looking down at her chest and taking in the sight of the soft, black material. _I'd better give it back to him soon._

She reached out and grabbed her jacket, making a face at its beaten and dirty appearance. Her frown grew deeper when she spied a few small holes in the material – well this wouldn't do her much good now, would it?

_Leave it here, _a small voice said to her. _It'll help Kiba._

That was right! Hinata couldn't get away from her predicament right now, but that didn't mean she couldn't leave her friends a clue, right? If Kiba was searching for her in this direction, then he'd be able to sniff it out easily, wouldn't he? There wasn't any guarantee of that actually happening, but that didn't mean it wasn't possible.

She knew there wasn't much time before the blonde would return, so she quickly scanned the shelter with her Byakugan, looking for just the right place to hide her jacket. It didn't take long – on the other side of the tree's trunk there was a hollow in the bottom, just large enough for her to squeeze her jacket into. Right as she finished the tedious task of stuffing the last of the fabric into it, Deidara walked in, drying his face with the bottom of his shirt.

"Looking for something?" he asked upon spotting her crouched near the base of the tree trunk.

"I thought I d-dropped something," she answered, getting up quickly. "A-are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he said.

He zipped his backpack shut and was about to lift it onto his shoulders when a mass of black was shoved into his face. Blinking rapidly, it took him a second to comprehend that it was Hinata holding out his jacket to him.

"Thank you f-for your j-jacket," she said. "You should t-take it now."

"You can keep it," he replied, waving it away. But she refused to take it back, and, realizing that they were wasting time, he sighed resignedly and took the jacket from her. He didn't feel like opening up his bag again, so instead he tied it securely around his waist. "Alright, let's get moving."

The day proved to be much kinder than before, as throughout their entire walk the sky remained blue and completely cloudless. They walked for hours on end, stopping only to eat and when the girl wanted to check on Deidara and make sure his fever wasn't coming back. Luckily it seemed his fake sleep had completely cured him, or had at least gotten rid of what had been left.

Hinata had expected Deidara to talk non-stop during their trek, but oddly enough he was completely silent. Whatever he was thinking about had his complete attention, and he barely once even glanced at the girl, acknowledging her when she spoke with only a slight tilt of his head. _I wonder what's wrong with him,_ she mused, staring at his back as he moved steadily before her. _He's so quiet today._

She considered asking him what was bothering him, but then decided against it. If he wanted to talk about it, he would.

They continued their walk until they cleared the woods altogether, right when the sun was beginning to set. They had come across a large plain, in the center of which stood a small, very old-styled cottage. A large detached barn stood to one side of it and fences surrounded a multitude of grazing sheep. A small and very energetic dog was leaping up and down, yapping excitedly at the barn's entrance. Through the open doors an old and tired-looking woman appeared, both hands tightly gripping the handle of an overflowing bucket of milk.

Hinata activated her Byakugan to see the scene more closely – the woman looked as though she was having a lot of trouble with the bucket. Her face was flushed bright pink and her teeth were gritted tightly together. The dog wasn't helping much either as it happily ran in circles around her legs, nipping at the hem of her dress every so often.

Without warning Hinata sped off towards the old woman, hoping to reach her before she dropped the bucket or even hurt herself trying to carry it. The woman spotted the Hyuuga coming and looked frightened, but this feeling lasted only until she made out the worried expression on the young girl's face.

"Um…excuse me…do you need any help with that?" the girl asked as soon as she was close enough, gesturing at the bucket. The old woman mulled over the question for a few seconds before she gladly handed the pail over to the young girl.

"Oh, you're such a sweetheart," she cooed, patting Hinata's head. "This way dear; I just need you to bring it inside for me."

The Hyuuga nodded and followed the old woman into her house. She led the girl into a small sweet-smelling kitchen, where she told her to just put the bucket on the ground beside the door. Hinata gladly dropped it onto the floor and stretched out her arms, glad to be rid of its weight. It was incredibly heavy – she didn't know how the woman had managed to even lift it up.

"You're a blessing, sweetie," the woman said, smiling at the girl. "What's your name?"

"Hyuuga Hinata."

"It's wonderful to meet you. My name is Kyo Yuuka. I'm so glad you turned up when you did; I felt like my arms were going to fall right off! My husband usually does the heavy lifting, but he's gone to town to sell some of our produce."

Just then Deidara could be heard rapping on the door frame, peeking his head in when no-one answered.

"I'm sorry I ran off!" Hinata immediately apologized, bowing her head.

"Oh, who is this?" Yuuka exclaimed, moving past Hinata to get a better look at her friend. "He looks like a strong young man." The blonde grinned at the compliment, and couldn't help nodding in agreement.

"Well, I can't argue with such intelligence," he said. "My name is Deidara. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…?"

"Yuuka! Oh you are a charming one, aren't you? Well don't just stand in the doorway, come in, come in!"

He nodded and moved to Hinata's side, watching the old woman as she shut the door behind them and immediately began to search through the cabinets resting on the walls.

"You two must be hungry," she commented, pulling out a large circular tin. "Where are you from?"

"Iwagakure," Deidara immediately replied, casually removing his forehead protector and stuffing it in his pocket while the woman's back was turned. He motioned for the Hyuuga to do the same, and she immediately complied, mimicking his actions. "We've been travelling to and fro for a while, looking at the historical sites around the Land of Fire. But now we've decided it's time to go home."

"Ah, that's fascinating!" Yuuka said as she pried the lid of the tin. "Not many travelers come passing through this neck of the woods, especially not young couples like yourselves."

_She thinks we're a couple? _Deidara and Hinata exchanged glances, but neither said a word. Hinata's cheeks had taken on a bright pink tinge, and the blonde had a tiny smirk on his face. Yuuka noticed none of this and handed them each a large muffin-like pastry, which the two immediately devoured without hesitation. The old woman watched them happily as they ate. She hadn't had any visitors in a while; it was nice to have some company while her husband was away.

"If you don't have any place to sleep tonight, you might as well stay here," she suggested. "It's almost dark now, and there's no inn around for miles."

"We couldn't impose on you like that," Hinata said after swallowing a mouthful of the sweet food.

"Now, now, it'd be no trouble on me! I have the room, it's no problem, and if you want you two can help me finish up the work in the barn. I wouldn't mind two extra pairs of hands helping me out."

"Well I'm not -"

"We'd love to," Deidara interrupted. "It'd be nice to sleep _inside_ for once. Give me a proper bed and I'm in heaven."

Hinata found herself thinking the same thing, remembering how dismal the conditions of her cell had been. It seemed like she had been there a lifetime ago when in reality it had only been a couple of days. The thought of sleeping in an actual bed again seemed almost too good to be true.

They spent the next two hours doing hard labour around the farm, their tasks ranging from moving loads of hay for the cows within the barn to catching some very unwilling sheep to have their wool trimmed off. And there were of course more buckets of milk to be hauled into the kitchen, the most simple yet most strenuous task of them all. The shinobi took their jobs without complaint, however, as this was their way of repaying the woman for allowing them to stay the night.

While the Hyuuga was working, the old woman noticed the odd haircut she was sporting, and asked her if she had done it herself. Hinata managed to stammer out that it had been an accident, and Yuuka told her if she wanted to that she could fix it up for her later on. Although she wasn't sure if it really looked as bad as the woman made it sound, she knew that it probably looked a mess, and gratefully accepted the woman's offer.

Once the last of the jobs was complete, both Hinata and Deidara, with aching muscles and covered in sweat, asked to be shown to their rooms. Yuuka gladly obliged and thanked them all the way up the stairs before she led them into a cozy room with a medium-sized bed and a wooden dresser that stood against the wall.

"It's a snug fit, but I'm sure you two will be very comfortable in here," she said, smiling warmly at them. "This door down the hall is the bathroom – if you need anything else don't even hesitate to ask. I'll be up later to help you with your hair, darling. Until then, just settle yourselves in."

She scurried away quickly, unaware that she had just left the two travelers in a very awkward situation.

"I thought w-we were going to g-get out own r-rooms," Hinata stammered in surprise.

"Why would she give us just one room?" he wondered, stepping over the threshold. "Oh! That's right! She thinks we're a couple, remember? I guess she figured we wouldn't mind sharing a room." Shrugging, he tossed his backpack to the side and grabbed a pillow from the bed, tossing it to the ground. "You can take the bed. It's only fair."

"M-maybe we should tell her she w-was wrong," the Hyuuga said, twiddling her fingers nervously. "B-but then she m-might think w-we're liars…"

"Because we've been completely honest with her this entire time," Deidara pointed out sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "I have no problem with the arrangement if you don't."

"I guess i-it's alright…b-but you should have the bed then –"

"Don't even start that! I think we both know you deserve it much more than I do."

Hinata didn't know what to say, so she merely accepted his words and placed her bag at the foot of the bag. She sat on the mattress and found herself sinking into it, and couldn't help but lie back to enjoy more of its comfort. Closing her eyes, she let her thoughts wander for a while before she realized something.

"You seem better n-now," she commented, rolling over onto her stomach so she could look at the man. He was looking through the dresser, inspecting its unimpressive collection of clothes and undergarments. "Earlier you were barely even s-speaking."

"Right…sorry about that," he said, turning to send her an embarrassed smile. He scratched his head sheepishly, unsure of how to phrase his next sentence. "I was just thinking…about what you told me."

"What I told you?" she asked.

"Yeah…this morning…you know…" he stopped there, watching the understanding appear in her eyes. Her mouth formed an 'o' and she was rendered absolutely speechless. He had been awake? He had heard her? There were absolutely no words to describe just how mortified she felt. He had heard _everything. _"Hey, look, you don't have to be so embarrassed –"

"Y-yes I do!" she shrieked indignantly, burying her face into the sheets of the bed. She heard him step closer to her and felt a hand on her shoulder. She kept her head down, too humiliated to even look at him.

"You know that guy's not worth your time," he remarked, his voice incredibly close. Curious, she titled her head up high enough to see he had seated himself on the edge of the bed. "Not if he's too stupid to see just how lucky he is to have your heart in his hands. Are you still in love with him? Even though you think he loves that other girl?"

He was asking her the exact same question that she had been wondering about herself. "…I d-don't know," Hinata admitted, lowering her gaze. "It's all just…confusing."

"It shouldn't be," Deidara said, thinking about his own conflicted feelings. "When you like someone, and I mean _really _like someone, you can feel it in your bones."

"My b-bones are tired," she sighed, clasping her hands together. "In the end, I know he'll a-always love her…and I'm okay with that, I guess…"

"But like you said, it doesn't hurt that much anymore, right? So you must be over him."

"Mhm…"

As he stared at her, uncertain of what to say next, he knew that his thoughts in the morning had been no hallucination. He had fallen for this girl, and he had fallen hard. Maybe that was why there was no hesitation in his actions when he reached down, grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her up into a sitting position.

"You shouldn't be sad," he said, forcing her eyes to meet his. His face was merely inches away from hers, yet she didn't feel uncomfortable with his close proximity. In fact, she didn't mind it at all. This knowledge perplexed her, and she found herself fixating on him – on his hair, the blue of his eyes, on his lips… "Hinata, you deserve someone who will light up the sky for you."

"I do?" she murmured, not quite listening to him.

"Yes." He reached out and tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, and his fingers lingered at the side of her face, his hand lightly cupping her cheek. They sat in silence and merely stared at each other, and both could feel a slight static in the air. Deidara felt himself leaning forwards, and he could see her doing the same, their eyelids slowly lowering in preparation for what both knew was coming next.

They were only an inch apart – so close that their lips just touched – when a sudden rapping at the door caused the spell to break, and both backed away from each other as Hinata breathlessly called for their visitor to come in.

Yuuka strode in and beckoned the Hyuuga out, saying that everything was ready. Without a word the girl rushed after the older woman, but not before Deidara had excused himself and managed to slip downstairs and out the door for some much needed fresh air. As Yuuka prattled on to Hinata, seating her on a chair wrapping a large piece of cloth around the girl's neck, Hinata couldn't help replaying the scene over and over and over in her head, remembering the feeling of his lips as they had brushed against his own.

She was astonished; but it wasn't because she knew that she had been fully ready to initiate the kiss. It was because of how strongly she wished that she and Deidara hadn't been interrupted.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed that! I finished this faster than I expected to, so I'm pretty happy with the timing of this update. :D

You guys your reviews make me asdfghjkl please by all means keep them coming haha they just really light up my day :D And thank you for adding this to you alerts and/or favorites. :) You guys are awesome.


	11. Chapter 11

Zetsu recited his conversation with Deidara to his leader, speaking as though it had only happened a few minutes ago, and not the day before. An amused expression flickered briefly across the man's face as he listened to the recollection, mirroring Zetsu's exact sentiments.

"So you would say that all is going to plan?" Pein asked once his subordinate had finished speaking.

"**Exactly the way we hoped it would**," Zetsu answered. "It's actually pretty scary how everything is falling into place so easily – I thought it'd be a lot harder."

"It was simple enough to execute. Sitting and waiting has been the hardest part."

"Yes! **Should I go back to him and let him know where we are**?"

"…Not yet. Give it some time. I want to see how things play out from here."

* * *

Hinata sighed as the warm water ran through her hair and down her neck, washing away all the tension in her muscles and the dirt that had collected on her body. These moments were always the most peaceful for her; they were the times when she slipped away from the real world and drifted off into a land of her own, where no troubled times or thoughts could reach her.

Today was the exception.

Not a minute would go by before Hinata's mind went drifting back to the evening before, replaying the one part of the night she wanted to completely avoid remembering at all. She didn't want to think about what she had told Deidara, how easily she had been able to talk about the feelings she carried deep inside her heart, the sudden rush she had felt as she drew closer to him; a rush that she had only ever felt around one boy during her entire life. She didn't want to recall how his words had sent her heart racing, how sincere he had sounded when he said them. And she certainly didn't want to think about what had happened – no, what had _almost_ happened afterwards.

_Come on, brain, focus on something else, _she pleaded, squeezing her eyes shut as though it would prevent her from seeing the way he had looked at her, the way he had moved towards her. But this tactic didn't work, and the images simply crashed down harder onto her, forcing her to acknowledge every single second belonging to the scene.

She unconsciously lifted her fingers to her face, lightly touching the area where Deidara's lips had just barely scraped her own. What was it called? A kiss? An almost-kiss? Whatever it was, the memory of it lingered beneath her fingertips, and she wasn't sure whether or not this was a bad thing.

Each time she thought of their kiss – or almost-kiss – all she could remember was how disappointed she was that it had ended so quickly, before it had even begun. She knew this feeling deep inside her chest. It was one she had only ever felt for Naruto, one that she associated with both great happiness and great disappointment. That hammering of her heart against her rib cage, the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach, they were tied to _him_. But here she was experiencing them, and he wasn't even on her mind.

This realization scared Hinata, and she refused to contemplate it any longer. Because if she was right, it meant that what she had felt for Deidara had never just been friendship. Which was absolutely and completely insane. There was absolutely no way she could feel anything romantic at all for him.

Right?

Realizing she had taken up way too much time in the bathroom, she quickly shut off the water and changed into her clothes, feeling uncomfortable in the unfamiliar fabric. The dark purple shirt and black pants the Akatsuki had provided for her fit her form pretty snugly, emphasizing the curves she always tried immensely hard to hide. _I look so different like this, _she thought wonderingly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her hair was shorter but at least it was cut neatly now, falling in layers right until her shoulders. Yuuka had worked on it with expertise, snipping away at the hair until she was satisfied that she had been able to save some of the length while still evening it out.

Hinata felt a stirring of guilt inside her stomach when she thought about how blatantly she had lied to the old woman about her and Deidara, and their _situation. _What if she had told Yuuka that she had been forcefully removed from her village, that she was travelling with him because it was either that or remaining in her cell with a sadist guard? Now that she thought about it, anyone would find her situation completely impossible. They'd think she was just making things up. The two shinobi were far too friendly with each other to be captor and captive.

_More than friendly, _a tiny voice whispered mockingly in her head. The Hyuuga groaned as once again her mind completely wrapped itself around the image of Deidara moving in closer, and closer, and closer…

A loud knocking on the bathroom door brought her out of her reverie, and she hurried over to unlock it. Upon opening the door she was met not by the aged face of the woman she expected, but instead found herself meeting the gaze of the man she had just been thinking about. _Fantasizing about, _the voice corrected her. The blonde stared at her oddly as she smacked her palm against her forehead, willing this new presence in her head to silence itself.

"Yuuka's calling us for breakfast," he said as she moved her gaze to the floor, unwilling to look him in the eye once more. "After we eat we'll leave. I want to get to Iwa as soon as possible."

"Mhm." Hinata nodded and squeezed past him, attempting to get away as quickly as she could.

"Hinata…" She nearly leapt out of her skin when his hand just barely grazed her shoulder, and she quickened her pace, trying to keep her cheeks from heating up anymore. Jumping down the stairs two at a time, she made it to the kitchen in record time, right as Yuuka was finishing setting up the table.

_That was close, _Hinata sighed inwardly, trying to get her breathing back to normal. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage as though it was trying to escape, and something told her it wasn't going to stop any time soon.

"Good morning, Hinata," the old woman cooed cheerfully, gesturing for her to sit down.

"G-good morning," the Hyuuga replied, taking her place before a plate of delicious-looking food. She had just taken her first bite when Deidara walked into the room and took the seat next to hers.

She found herself looking sideways at him every few seconds, and looking away just as quickly whenever he caught her staring. He wore a blank expression on his face – she could read absolutely nothing from it. That wasn't fair. She wanted to know what he was thinking. What was going on in his head. Was he freaking out just as much as she was? Or was he experiencing something completely different?

"Oh my, you sure are hungry," Yuuka chuckled, watching Hinata as she ate in silence. "So when do you two plan to be off?"

"Right when we finish eating," Deidara replied once it was clear Hinata wouldn't be able to answer due to the overwhelming amount of food she had stuffed in her mouth. "Thanks for your hospitality – if I had any clay right now I'd make you something amazing, but I'm all out. You'd have loved it, though. I'm one heck of an artist."

"I don't doubt that for a minute," Yuuka said cheerfully.

For the rest of the meal they ate in silence, until finally it was time to go. The two travelers packed up their things in a hurry and then bade Yuuka farewell, promising her that someday soon they would return to meet her husband. And then they were off, trekking back into the familiar forest scenery as they made their way to Iwagakure. The old woman had told them of an inn located a couple of miles away, just before the large village. The two had thanked her for this information and had decided not to stop moving until they reached their destination.

Hinata had been hoping they wouldn't have to talk, or look at each other, or do _anything _at all but walk together. She couldn't help thinking this way – she couldn't look at the blonde without thinking about the night before, and every time she did that it just brought her a massive headache of confused emotions.

But it looked like the blonde had a completely different idea.

"You can't stay quiet forever," he told her in a sing-song voice. "Sooner or later you're going to have to talk to me."

_I don't know, I'm pretty talented in this department, _she thought to herself, barely reacting to his words. He fell silent, and Hinata stole a glance at him, catching a look of…was that worry? But then it was gone, and his mask was back on, and the girl didn't know what to think anymore. She felt bad for avoiding him like this, but what else could she do? She had to think about herself for once, and her brain was telling her that she needed to figure out what exactly she felt towards Deidara.

"_When you like someone, and I mean really like someone, you can feel it in your bones."_

Well her bones were certain of what they felt – but she wasn't so sure she wanted them to be.

* * *

"This is absolutely disgusting."

Neji looked up at the small and dirty house, with its dirt-encrusted windows and cracked walls, and then back down to the ground, which was covered in a mixture of gravel and what appeared to be some sort of blue-purple fungus. Beside it rested a sturdy looking wooden cart containing a large pile of hay in the back, and the reins of a horse rested there as well. Naruto had the same reaction as his comrade towards the house, even more so when he noticed a large brown rat scurry out from beneath one of the walls.

"Are we sure this is the right place?" Naruto asked, squinting as he tried to get a good look through the opaque windows. "I mean, could anyone seriously live in a dump like this?"

"This is where we were told to go," Neji answered.

After their failure in finding Hinata, the Konoha shinobi had gone about questioning the residents of Yugakure, asking them if they had seen anything strange or noticed anything. However the Akatsuki had easily hidden their presence from the villagers, and they were hard pressed to find anyone who could help them. They had almost completely given up when Sakura had come across a stroke of luck – in a small and quiet café near the mansion, an old man who was a regular customer of the café had seen a cart going to the mansion with two men sitting inside it. He also told her that there may have been someone else, someone with blue hair, but he wasn't sure because just as quickly as the wagon had appeared, it disappeared. He hadn't recognized either of the men, nor the strange black uniform they were wearing.

From there Kiba had taken the initiative to find out who the wagon driver was. It was simple enough; there were only three villagers who owned wagons. They got his name – Kai – and the location of his house. The ANBU refused to follow such a small and inconclusive lead, so Neji and Naruto had decided to go on their own while Sakura worked with the ANBU. They had asked Kiba to go with them, but oddly enough he had declined their offer, choosing to go off and do his own thing rather than work together with his friends.

So now here Neji and Naruto were, standing in front of the shack that this wagon driver called a home. Neji moved to the front door and banged on it twice, causing a layer of dust to unsettle and blow about all over him. He coughed and waved his hand through the dust cloud while Naruto began to laugh at him.

"Shut up, Uzumaki," he grumbled, causing the blonde to start laughing even harder.

Sighing, he stood his place and waited for a response. A minute later he decided that no-one was going to open the door, and pushed it open himself. He was immediately hit by a strong, rotten stench, one that stung his eyes and burned his nostrils. He began coughing and covered his nose with his sleeve, hoping it would be enough to block the smell out. It didn't entirely, but it helped a little. Behind him he could hear Naruto retching, and he decided to leave the blonde be until he felt a little bit better.

"Hello?" he called into the house, his voice muffled slightly. "Is anyone there?"

It was too dark to see anything, and although the Hyuuga could vaguely make out a couple of shapes here and there. He certainly didn't want to go inside to get a closer look; the smell would probably knock him out cold.

"Naruto, do me a favor and break all the windows," he ordered, catching his friend by surprise.

"W-what?" Naruto exclaimed weakly from behind his sleeve. He was almost positive Neji was joking. "You really want me to break them?"

"I need light. There's no-one here, and I don't think anyone's been here for a while. Just do it."

Although he still felt slightly nauseous, Naruto obeyed these orders and gathered a few stones in his free hand, breaking each and every window in sight with just the flick of a wrist.

The effect was immediate, and sunlight shone into every single part of the house. The Hyuuga switched on his Byakugan and looked all around the rooms, trying to find any sign of life. Dirt, garbage, unwashed dishes, an unmade bed…the list went on, but in the end he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Why would the wagon driver just completely abandon his home like this? It didn't make any sense.

After a few more minutes of searching he was about to give up when he spied some sort of reddish-brown lump that had been obscured from his vision by a large pile of laundry. Slightly annoyed with himself for having missed it, he focused on it completely, and watched the mass clear out before him and take on a shape.

It was a corpse. An almost completely decomposed corpse. It was lying on the floor, which had been stained bright red by what he was almost completely sure was blood. Tiny white creatures wriggled through holes in the rotten flesh, and Neji grimaced and looked away, unable to stare anymore. _That's what caused this stench, _he thought, shaking his head sadly. _The rotting body. _

"Is there anything there?" Naruto asked.

"He's dead," the Hyuuga informed him. He shut the door tightly and moved away, followed by his fellow shinobi. The two uncovered their noses once they were a safe distance from the house and breathed in deeply, relishing in the pure and clean air they inhaled.

"Are you sure he's dead?" Naruto asked, taking another deep breath.

"Yes. It didn't look like an accident, either. The guy was lying in a pool of his own blood. I can't say for sure though; the body was pretty badly decomposed. He must've been there for at least two weeks."

"Damn it! Then we have no lead!"

"I guess the ANBU were right. We'd better go tell Kiba and Sakura."

"Kiba is going to flip out when we tell him. He's not doing too well, is he?"

"No, he's not."

Naruto sighed. "When we find Hinata I swear he'd better tell her he loves her already."

Neji's eyebrows shot up, and he stared at the blonde for a full minute before he was able to speak. "You…you know?" he spluttered, unable to comprehend this situation.

"Well, yeah, it's pretty obvious," Naruto replied nonchalantly.

_You're a mystery to me, Uzumaki, _the Hyuuga thought, shaking his head. _You never noticed Hinata's crush on you, but you can see that Kiba's crazy about Hinata? Sometimes I honestly wonder just how exactly your brain works._

* * *

_Left._

Kiba changed directions and started to head towards the left, straying off the path he had been following. Akamaru trailed behind him happily, his tongue lolling out and tail wagging fiercely. He and his owner had been moving back and forth from one place to the next all day, and neither of them felt any inclination or need for rest.

He was onto something. He knew it. He had been following every single trace of her scent he could find, and now he had completely lost himself in the unfamiliar woods, going whichever way his nose took him. Neji and Naruto were following what might be a lead, but he didn't have any high hopes for it. In his eyes, his method of searching was the most reliable.

He was going to find her. Even though the odds weren't in his favor, and not one good thing had happened to them, he was determined not to give up. Even if it meant he had to search until the ends of the earth to find her. She was his best friend, his teammate. He would never give up on Hinata.

"Okay, Akamaru, where do we go now?" he muttered, more to himself than the dog. Akamaru seemed to take this question to heart, however, as he immediately began to bark excitedly, and he took off in a random direction. Kiba was left staring at the dog's retreating figure for only a few seconds before he regained his composure and ran after the animal. "Slow down! Come on, Akamaru, where are you going? This can't be the right way!"

Growling in irritation he sped up, wishing he had never said anything at all. This was going to cost him time, time that he couldn't be wasting. But then, like so many times before, it hit him. Her scent. _She's been here. _Akamaru had managed to catch onto the girl's scent faster than his owner had, and was leading him somewhere! He cursed himself for ever doubting his best friend, and now he followed the dog with renewed vigor he shot forward, trampling over ever bush and flower that dared to get in his path.

Faster than he imagined, they emerged from the trees into a small clearing. A small stream ran through it, disappearing into the forest, and beside it was a magnificent willow tree. The dog had disappeared somewhere beneath its branches, and Kiba followed him inside. _This would be the perfect shelter for the night, _he mused, walking around the tree's trunk to where Akamaru was seated. He had positioned himself in front of what looked like a hollow under the tree trunk. Although the hole was dark, he could see something small and pale poking out of it. His curiosity piqued, the shinobi reached inside, and pulled out something that he had never expected to see.

Hinata's jacket.

"Holy shit," he breathed, unfolding the crumpled and tattered material. "It's her jacket. IT'S HER FUCKING JACKET! AKAMARU! YOU'RE A BRILLIANT, AMAZING BEAST!" The dog licked his owner's hand happily, clearly enjoying the praise.

Wrapping the jacket around his arm to make sure he didn't lose it, he inspected the hollow. The jacket couldn't have just fallen into it, and Hinata wouldn't have just randomly left her jacket there. It had been stuffed into that hole, possibly with the intention of hiding it. She knew they were looking for her. She knew her friends were coming for her, and she had left them a clue to help her find her. She hadn't given up hope.

_She wasn't alone here,_ he thought, sniffing the unfamiliar scent that lingered in the air. _Which means she must have somehow managed to stuff it in there without that person's knowledge. She's only with…yes, it's only one person. _

He didn't know why this was the case, but the circumstances didn't matter. In fact, it would probably be better if things stayed that way for just a little longer, just long enough for them to find Hinata. Fighting off one shinobi would be easier than ten. _And it'll give me the opportunity to deal with him personally._

"C'mon, Akamaru, we have to tell the others about this," Kiba said, climbing onto the dog's back. "Tonight, we don't sleep. We're going to keep on moving until our legs fall off if we have to. No matter what it takes, we'll find her."

* * *

_I don't get it! What the hell is she thinking?_

Deidara had tried everything to get this girl to talk. He had pleaded, demanded, attempted to trick her, but no matter what his efforts were the end result was the same. She wasn't going to say a god damn thing, and he had no idea why.

Was it because she regret what had happened? Regret ever even speaking to him, regret being nice to him at all? At the time he had been so sure that she felt the exact same way that he did. She had leaned forward too, he knew it, he remembered it more clearly than anything else. So why wasn't she speaking to him? Why was she acting like he didn't even exist?

These last few days he had prided himself on being able to read and understand the girl's feelings, but right now it was like that skill had completely disappeared. It could be that she was just embarrassed about the whole incident. With her personality, that would make all the sense in the world. Yet he was afraid that it was more, that she refused to speak to him simply because she didn't want to. And that thought hurt him more than he had ever imagined it could.

_She needs time_, a small voice told him. Maybe it was right. After all, he had had the entire night to think about it, walking around the old woman's compound in the chilly night air. He had thought, and thought, and thought, when in the end there was really nothing to think about.

He liked her. He really, really liked her. It was as simple as that.

He turned to her, ready to try and convince her to talk to him once again when he realized that she was about to walk straight off the path and into a large tree.

"Hey! Hinata!" He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him before she could get any closer to the tree. She blinked and looked around uncertainly, as though trying to understand where she was. _She must have been really lost in thought, _he mused, watching her silently.

"…Was I about t-to walk into a tree?" she asked, her cheeks taking on a bright pink tinge.

"Yes," he answered, coughing so that he wouldn't start laughing at her. That wouldn't really help the situation, would it? "You must've been thinking really hard about something."

Recalling just exactly what she had been daydreaming brought a bout of nervous giggles from her, and she ran a hand through her hair embarrassedly. It was only then that she noticed Deidara's arm around her waist, and the slight blush that had remained on her face deepened and deepened until it was scarlet.

"I…um….I…" she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Chuckling, he released her, and she seemed to be able to think once more, although she still appeared flustered by the contact.

_Don't tell me she's going to stop talking again, _he groaned mentally as they lased back into their silent walk. _….Fuck this shit! I'm not letting this go on._

"Look, Hinata, I'm not even going to lie to you; I have no fucking clue what you're thinking right now," he said, stepping in her way so that she was forced to stop in her tracks. "And I wonder if I even want to know. But I think it'd be better if at first you know what _I'm _thinking. I like you Hinata. I _really_ like you. I didn't plan for it, let me tell you that, and I certainly didn't plan for what happened last night to happen. But it did. And it showed me just how serious my feelings are. And right now it's fucking driving me crazy that you won't talk to me about it, because I need to know what you're thinking. I have to know how you feel."

It was a long time before she finally answered. "…I'm just not sure how I feel."

"I think you feel the same way I do."

"…Huh?"

She stared at him nervously as he moved in close and took her hands into his own, holding them in between the two for her to see. His thumb moved to the base of her palm, and he leaned his face in closer to hers, right until their noses were just touching. Hinata was completely frozen – although her head was screaming for her to back away, another voice was screaming something entirely different.

"Your heart is racing," he murmured, feeling the erratic pulses in the veins beneath his thumb. "And I can tell your breathing has gotten faster. You can't look at me now and say that this happens all the time; that it doesn't mean anything. I've been worried all this time that I might not be right, that I was misinterpreting things, but I wasn't."

_I…it can't…we can't…_ A million thoughts ran through Hinata's head, but only one of them really stood out to her. _I think he's right._

"Deidara, I –"

"Tonight," he interrupted, moving away suddenly. "I'll give you until tonight to tell me your feelings yourself, if that's what you really want."

Not quite aware of what she was doing, she reached out and grabbed his hand, interlocking her fingers with his. And then she began walking, partially dragging him behind her as he stared at their hands with surprise. She didn't have to say a word. Her message was clear enough.

* * *

**A/N: **And so ends Chapter 11! c:

You guys, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS :D Seriously I saw the number of them and how nice they are and I'm just so happy that people are enjoying this story. :'D

Thanks for adding this to your favorites and/or alerts, and I promise I'll bring the next chapter to you as quickly as possible. But bear with me because before I go have just two more things to add:

1) Check out the song _Light Up the Sky _by Yellowcard, which was pointed out to me by AnimexXxGoddess. She said it, it's pretty much Deidara's song right there, hehehe. :D

2) Myosotis, if you didn't see my comment on DeviantArt I'm just going to tell you again how adorable your sketch is, and I'm wondering if I could use it as the story's cover, if that's alright with you. :)

So once again you guys thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

"It's about time we found this place!" Deidara sighed in exasperation when he caught sight of the moonlit wooden structure just a few minutes' walk away. Hinata's eyes followed his own to a sign above the door that simply read 'Inn'. "I didn't think I could go on any longer."

The Hyuuga nodded in agreement and trailed along after him, unwilling to waste any of her remaining energy on talking. Her legs ached incredibly from all the walking they had done, and she couldn't even lift up her feet anymore, choosing simply to drag them across the grass-covered ground. After all, they'd been walking _all day long. _She'd toughed it out until this point and hadn't breathed a word of complaint, but now all she wanted to do was collapse onto the ground and never move again.

_We're almost there, _she told herself, repeating the phrase with each step she took. At this point it was only the thought of a nice, comfortable bed and a hot meal that kept her going. As they approached the steps of the inn, she could hear a multitude of voices emanating outwards from the open windows. Deidara pushed the door open and led the way inside the large reception room, confidently striding in between large circular tables and their matching chairs and maneouvering his way between and around laughing men and boisterous women with mugs of sake dripping over their fingers. The atmosphere was crowded and energetic, one that Hinata wasn't extremely comfortable with.

"I guess the actual inn part of this place is upstairs," Deidara said over his shoulder. "The bar is actually pretty big for such a small place…"

She followed him up to the counter, which apparently doubled as the reception desk, as there were keys hanging in between the different bottles of liquor. If he said anything more, she didn't hear it as any attempt of speech was drowned out by the loud guffaws belonging a group of bulky men huddled together at one of the many tables. Instead of trying to hear what the blonde was trying to say to her, she simply watched him as he turned away and yelled into the bartender's ear. But this couldn't distract her for long, and her mind moved back to how sore her feet were, and how she wished she could just sit down already.

She blinked when something was waved directly in front of her face – the blonde was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to take the key he was flinging around out of his hand.

His lips moved rapidly as he spoke to her, but when she indicated she couldn't hear he rolled his eyes in irritation and grabbed her hand, towing her away from the counter and to a small door in the wall she had almost completely missed. The door led to a narrow, steep staircase, one that made both of them flash back to their days in the cellar, and made them both just as quickly block it out. For their different reasons, neither of them wanted to think about it at all.

After a quick walk up the stairs they were through to a short hallway with numbered doors standing opposite each other, the numbers going from one to sixteen.

"I'm in thirteen, and you're right across from me in fourteen," he said, slipping her key into her fingers once they reached their respective doors. "This place seems kind of sketchy, so I made sure I'd be close to you…" Unexpectedly, he reached over and took a strand of her hair in between his fingers, letting it slip through them ever so slowly. "Among other reasons."

He winked at her and proceeded to work on his lock, struggling to turn the key in the rusted device. "By the way, do you want to grab a bite to eat with me later on?" He turned his face to see her reaction to his words, and grinned as the familiar pink blush she had already been wearing darkened into a deeper, crimson colour. "The bartender…owner…whatever the hell he was told me they serve food downstairs, and that it stays open until four in the morning, so we could go at any time."

"Should we m-meet in a few hours?" Hinata asked, having completely forgotten about the tired state of her muscles.

"I'll knock on your door when the time comes," he said as he finally succeeded in turning the key. The door emit a loud _click_ and proceeded to swing open. Deidara began to walk inside, but hovered in the doorway for a few seconds as Hinata went into her own room, just to make sure that she was alright.

Closing the door behind her, the Hyuuga pressed a hand against her chest, her heart pounding erratically beneath it. This wasn't good. She had wanted to take a nap, rest her brain, not to have a million pictures and thoughts racing through her brain, especially not any starring the man she planned to meet later on.

_It'll be like a date, _she mused, barely taking in her plain surroundings as she planted herself on the edge of her mattress. _A first date. _Thinking of it like this sent a small shiver up her spine; it was…exciting. If anyone had asked her at that specific moment in time to express her feelings to them, she wouldn't have been able to, because they were so strong that she simply _couldn't _describe them.

Hinata had never pictured this happening. The day she left her past love behind and embraced something new. Somehow, in the strangest of circumstances, she had found something more than just a way to survive the night. Something different. Something, which, oddly enough, she really, _really _enjoyed. Even if somewhere deep down she understood just how unlikely it was that this would last, she blocked this knowledge out, choosing to be completely oblivious to the world around her. Right now, it just wasn't important.

Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, accompanied by thoughts coloured in vivid shades of pink and red. It was only when she woke up that she knew she had been out for quite a while, and that whoever was knocking on the door was getting pretty impatient.

"I – I'm coming!" she yelled, running a hand though her hair in an attempt to calm it down a bit. She leapt off her bed and hurried to the door, nearly tripping over her own legs, which were still feeling sore and a bit wobbly. But she managed to reach her destination without falling, and she opened the door, revealing none other than the man she had fallen asleep thinking about.

"That took a while," he complained in teasing tone. She immediately started to apologize but he began to laugh, shaking his head and telling her that it was no problem. "I guess I woke you up, didn't I?"

"I hadn't meant to b-be asleep for so long," she mumbled bashfully.

"It's fine!" Deidara said, taking her hand into his and locking their fingers tightly together. "Are you okay to go?"

"I d-don't know," she said as she looked down past her chin to her ruffled clothes. Her free hand went to her hair and she began to pat it, fearing that it was sticking out in all sorts of different directions. Chuckling silently, he captured this hand as well and locked her gaze with his own.

"You look perfect," he assured her. "All you have to do is keep on smiling. Got it?"

"…Got it."

Downstairs the bar had cleared out greatly, although the group of hefty drunks were still loitering about, barking out filthy jokes and songs and making fools of themselves in general. The other customers in the room kept silent and to themselves, either drinking quietly or eating quietly. Hinata and Deidara chose two stools at the far end of the counter, as far away from the noisy men as possible.

"What can I get you two?" the bartender asked disinterestedly.

"Something good and hot," Deidara replied.

The bartender nodded and moved away from them, probably headed towards the kitchen to call in their order. When he was out of their line of sight, they focused on each other once more, neither of them sure how to start this evening – or, technically, morning – off.

"Tomorrow, when we go into Iwa and get the clay, you're going to have to cover yourself up," the artist said, surprising her. "If anyone sees us and recognizes me –" _Then your friends will find you for sure, and I'm not going to let them take you away from me. _"– it won't be as easy to escape with two people running, especially if they see a Hyuuga from Konoha running around with a member of the Akatsuki."

"Right…that makes sense," Hinata agreed.

_What's going to happen after this? _she wondered, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. _Once we get his clay…the Akatsuki will want him back there. And they'll want him to bring me back, as well. But then…I can't go there. To them. I guess that means that tonight…No! I'm not going to think about this right now. I don't want to think about it! Not right now._

"You know, I'd love to hear some of this conversation you're having with yourself," Deidara said, resting his chin on his palm. "It's really getting boring on this side of the counter."

"I'm sorry!" she apologized, biting her lip as she tried to come up with an excuse for her absence of mind. "This is just kind of…strange."

"Well it doesn't have to be," he replied. "I mean, everything is already so completely and utterly screwed up, we might as well consider this to be a bit of normalcy."

"Huh. I didn't actually think of it that way."

"You should. In fact, tonight, let's make this our one night of complete escape from reality."

"…What do you mean?"

"You and me. Let's forget about all this crazy that's been following us around, everything we have to do and have to think about. Let's just pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist. It's just you and me."

She didn't need any time to consider his proposition. Her mind was already made up. "Let's do it."

"Good!"

It was that easy. Just for one night, to forget everything they would have to acknowledge sooner or later. If he could do it, then so could she.

"Your food," the bartender announced, carelessly tossing two bowls of differently flavoured onigiri in front of them.

The two travelers wasted no time in digging into their food, ravenously stuffing the onigiri into their mouths as though it would disappear if they didn't keep on eating. Even the bartender showed surprise at their eagerness, but he shook it off and went back to dealing with the drunks on the other side.

"When I get my clay, I'm going to take you flying," the blonde said as he swallowed what remained of his meal. Hinata still hadn't finished eating – she had decided to take her time and savour each bite rather than swallow it all down in one gulp.

"Flying?" she asked, pausing in mid-bite.

"That's right. I told you before and I'll say it again, I'm an amazing artist. And I can make the best winged-creatures you've ever seen."

"Is it really that fun, then? Up in the air?"

"Are you kidding? It's _amazing_. There's so much freedom, and it's such a rush, especially when I get to watch my art go off with a loud bang in the middle of the sky. It's like fireworks! And the best part is, people are always running and frightened, because they have no idea what's going on. It's hilarious!"

"…I don't think w-we share the same sense of humor…"

"Well I'm not going to lie there; that's something we don't share at all. In fact, when I think about it, there's not much really that we have in common, is there? I mean….we're…we're both shinobi. I guess that's one thing."

"And apparently we both _really _like onigiri."

Deidara stared at her for a moment before he burst out laughing, attracting the attention of every single customer in the bar. It went on for an entire minute before he managed to calm down, and Hinata felt rather embarrassed. What was he laughing so hard about?

"Hinata, that is the first time I have ever heard you make an even remotely sarcastic remark," he gasped, slightly out of breath. "That was just too good to be true!"

"It w-wasn't that funny!" she said indignantly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yes, it was," he insisted, pulling her arms away from her and forcing her to look at him. She couldn't help but smile with him, and pretty soon they were both doubled over, holding back a fit of giggles. "Oh man. I feel like they must've put something into the onigiri. I can't stop!"

"Try holding your breath," Hinata suggested.

Both took a deep breath – only to let it right back out as they erupted into another bout of laughter. Neither of them knew why they were laughing anymore. It just felt so good they didn't want to stop. And for the next hour, that was all they did. They talked about everything and nothing, and constantly made jokes with each other, some of which caused them to laugh so hard that tears streamed down their faces. It was so normal, and so damn enjoyable. Neither wanted it to stop.

"And what's going on over here?"

The laughter died away, and the two turned to face the man who had spoken to them. He was one of the loud, brawny men, and not to mention completely drunk as well. His presence immediately destroyed the carefree atmosphere they had just been enjoying, and replaced it with one of great suspicion, and great discomfort.

"Get lost," the blonde said, waving the man away. "Your friends are waiting for you."

"Now, now, I think this gorgeous young lady over here wants me to stay, don't you, Sugar?" The man snaked his arm around the Hyuuga's waist. "You'd rather me than this skinny runt."

"If I were you, I'd get you fucking paws off her right now," the blonde growled, leaping up from his chair.

"Want to make me, girly?" the man taunted him, bring Hinata closer to him.

Deidara moved in, ready to beat the shit out of this man. But before he could do anything, a loud sound echoed throughout the entire room.

_Crack._

Hinata's elbow made contact with the man's chin, and he feel backwards to the ground, clutching his face in agony. "Bitch!" he spat, glaring at her with all his strength. Her breathing grew quicker and her hands trembled slightly, but she stood herself in an offensive stance, ready for him if he came again.

"I'm going to kill – Agh!"

His threat was cut off midway when Deidara drove the heel of his foot into the man's stomach with such ferocity that the wind was knocked out of him, and he struggled to breathe once more. The Akatsuki member raised his leg again, ready to smash it back down on the man's ribs when he noticed how perfectly calm Hinata seemed. In such a situation, it just didn't make sense. So he rested his foot back on the floor and leaned down so that his face was right above the man's ear."

"You even try touching her again, and I will fucking burn you into cinders."

Satisfied with the frightened reaction he received, Deidara moved away. The man's friends immediately ran to his aid, giving the two shinobi a wide berth as they went.

"Hinata, let's go," the blonde said, pulling her towards the door when she didn't move herself. Back up they went to the hallways and to the doors of their rooms, away from the tense atmosphere they had created downstairs. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"Yes," she said, moving towards her own door. "Creeps like that…they shouldn't think that just because I look weak I can't fight."

"No-one should underestimate you," he immediately agreed, thinking about how quickly she had moved. "You're fucking _strong_ Hinata. I think you'd have hurt him more than I would have."

"You think so?" she asked, appearing slightly elated by his comment.

"I think you actually broke his jaw."

Although she gave him a small, reassuring smile, he still felt that something was wrong. He watched her as she unlocked her door, and was confused when she didn't walk inside. Instead, she paused over the threshold and turned to look at Deidara. "It really wasn't meant to be, was it? This whole night. I mean, it was fun while it lasted. I had a nice time."

And she had. She really, really had. There had never been a time before where she had allowed herself to loosen up as much as she wanted to, especially not with anyone else around. It just seemed unfair that it had been short, that they hadn't been allowed what was supposed to be their only chance of complete freedom from the world. And some random drunk had gone and completely destroyed it.

"That's why you're still sad? You know, it doesn't have to end just yet."

"Huh?"

Before she knew it, Hinata was inside her room, and so was Deidara. He pushed the door shut with his back and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. The shock in her eyes faded into something different, something more akin to enjoyment. Her palms were pressed against his chest, and he could feel his strong, steady heartbeat beneath her fingertips, much unlike her own rapidly humming heart. _You love this, don't you? _a small voice inside her head whispered. _Admit it. Being so close to him, with his arms around your waist…you've never felt better. _

"Are you talking to yourself again?" he murmured into her ear, causing her to nearly jump in surprise. She hadn't even noticed him leaning in so close to her. "You know, your stutter just sort of disappeared tonight, didn't it?"

"Huh? I didn't even notice."

"I did."

He moved his mouth away from her ear and towards her lips. "This time let's hope we won't be interrupted," he whispered, pressing his lips against hers before she could reply.

Hinata felt herself melting into the kiss as his lips danced against her own and the electricity crackled between them, setting them alight in a dazzling glow. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on the tips of her toes, deepening the kiss and just barely satisfying the craving that was growing inside her, the want – no, the _need_ for more.

She could feel his fingers on the small of her back like small balls of fire that ran up and down her spine, filling her entire body with a heat that she was so unfamiliar with, but one that felt so right. His lips moved away from hers and started to move along her jaw, and her breathing hitched, the sensation so…pleasant. Her legs grew so weak that they couldn't support her any longer, and she grasped tightly onto his shirt as she felt herself sliding down.

Alarmed, he tightened his grip on her and slid to the ground with her. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"My knees…I can't feel them anymore," she mumbled, burying her blushing face into her hands when he burst out laughing.

"That's the greatest compliment a man could ever get," he chortled. He forced her hands away from her face and made her look at him, watching the tiniest smile appear on her face. "I've never met anyone like you Hinata, you know that?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, gazing at him curiously. "I-is is that I'm shyer than everyone? Or maybe it's because I'm quieter, or -!"

He placed a finger on her lips, effectively silencing the girl. "What I mean is," he began, lightly caressing her cheek with the back of his finger, "I've never met anyone who's so damn _perfect_."

"Y-you think I'm perfect?" she squeaked.

"Absolutely." She searched his face for any sign that he was lying, that it was all just some sort of trick.

But he wasn't lying. He was telling the truth.

In his eyes, she was perfect.

* * *

"…I think we made a wrong turn somewhere."

Neji's skeptic gaze lingered on the house in the distance for a little longer before he turned to his comrade beside him. The shinobi was completely unruffled by his comment, and merely folded both his arms across his chest and shook his head.

"It doesn't look like the place," Kiba admitted, cocking his head slightly as he inspected the small barn beside it. "But it smells like it. Right Akamaru?" The large dog let out a bark of agreement, panting happily. "We've been moving all night to get here. I'm not turning back now."

The Hyuuga merely nodded in reply and looked up at the sky, which was just beginning to take on a light pink tinge. Sunrise. Another day to add to this long search of theirs. Although his comrade seemed completely sure of himself, he couldn't help but feel unconvinced. After all, this place looked so…_normal. _And _innocent. _As if to only strengthen this image, there was a small flock of sheep happily grazing away on the grass below them right in front of the barn though the Konoha-nin were under the impression that Hinata had been separated from the majority of the Akatsuki, why would they have taken her here? It made no sense whatsoever.

"Have they caught up with us yet?"

For a short moment the veins around Neji's eyes became prominent as he activated his Byakugan, searching the vicinity for the rest of the team from Konoha. Yet even though Sakura and Naruto had promised to catch up with them as soon as they could, there was no sign of the two, nor of the ANBU that were meant to come with them.

"They're not here," Neji finally said. Kiba muttered a string of profanities under his breath, clearly displeased with the rescue team's speed. When he had told the ANBU leader his news, he had expected everyone to be ready to go straight away. But unfortunately they had all decided to do another round of Yugakure in order to make sure they hadn't missed anything. If Neji hadn't come along at that moment from his own endeavors and convinced the man to let the two go, they would still be stuck in the village.

Tapping his foot impatiently, the Hyuuga checked the area around them once more. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. How long could it possibly take the ANBU to find this place? They couldn't have set out _that _long after the two shinobi, and the trail they had left behind for them to follow was extremely obvious to anyone who looked for it.

"I say we should go check it out without them," Kiba stated, glaring determinedly at the small house. "We're just wasting time like this."

"As much as I agree, we told them we would wait," Neji reminded him.

"Screw that! We're not freaking genin anymore. Hell, you're a _jonin, _and you're telling me you're fine with just standing around here just because the ANBU are afraid if we do find someone they'll get away? They should trust that we're not so stupid as to make that kind of mistake. I don't care what the hell they want us to do at this point; I want to go find Hinata. And I know you're thinking the exact same thing."

It only took Neji a few seconds to reply. "If they ask, it was all your idea, and I tried to talk you out of it."

"But I didn't listen, because I'm one stubborn son of a bitch," Kiba grinned wickedly. Immediately he sped off towards the house, leaving Akamaru and Neji in his dust as they sped after him.

"Wait, don't you think we should at least plan some - !" the Hyuuga's voice was drowned out by the sound of breaking glass as Kiba crashed right through the first window he came across. He ended up landing inside the house with a loud _thump_, taking the faded beige curtains down with him.

Rolling his eyes, the higher-ranking shinobi hurried to aid his comrade, who had already managed to untangle himself from the thick fabric. Kiba's head rapidly swiveled left and right as he searched for any sign of life. But in the small sitting room there was no-one, only the dull-coloured furniture and shattered pieces of glass littered about on the carpeted floor. He sniffed the air twice and the look on his face changed from one of determination to one of utter confusion.

"What is it?" Neji asked, settling himself into a defensive stance. "Are they here?"

"It's weird," Kiba replied. He breathed in deeply and then exhaled. "Her scent is here…but it's more of a lingering scent than anything else…and that same scent that was with hers before is also here, in the exact same way…but there's some other scent…like…an old lady?"

The Hyuuga was about to ask how he could possibly know the third scent belonged to an old woman when he realized that his comrade's eyes were fixed on the doorway opposite him, where a small, frightened looking woman stood tightly clutching a broom in her hands. They could see she had just woken up – she donned a large, thick green robe over a white nightgown, and there were very clear, very visible bags under her eyes.

Neither of the boys were sure of how to react to her presence, but she certainly knew how to react to theirs. Waving her broom at them threateningly, she swallowed loudly and spoke.

"I don't know who you two boys are, but I'm telling you, my husband will be home any minute!" she warned them as menacingly as she could, swiping through the air with the makeshift weapon. "You all better get out of here right now!"

"Hang on a second," Kiba started, raising his palms in the air as a gesture of surrender. The woman interpreted this as an offensive move, and down came her broom, crashing onto the shinobi's head with a ferocity that neither of the intruders had seen coming. "Owwwww!"

He covered his head with his arms, baring his teeth at the lady as she readied herself to swing again. Deciding it was time to intervene, Neji rushed in between them and met the woman's frightened eyes with his own steady gaze. Just as Kiba had done, he held out his hands in surrender, although he moved even slower than his friend had, wary of the broom that was aimed straight at his head.

"Ma'am, I'm extremely sorry that we broke your window and came into your house unexpected," he said calmy, earning him a puzzled stare. "We were under the impression that our friend was here, with some very…dangerous company. My name is Hyuuga Neji, and this is Inuzuka Kiba."

"Hyuuga…" she murmured, lowering her weapon. A thoughtful expression crossed her face, and she seemed to come to some sort of realization. "Ah! You must related to Hinata! What a sweet young girl she is."

"...You know her?" Kiba choked out, clearly just as shocked as Neji was. The old woman nodded at them and moved to sit down on one of the plush chairs.

"You two nearly gave me a heart attack, you know," she said, running a hand through her hair and giving them a small, nervous smile. "Please, next time just use the front door."

"We'll remember that," Neji replied, placing a restraining hand on Kiba's shoulder. He could see the more brash shinobi wanted to get whatever information he could out of the woman as quickly as possible, but the Hyuuga could tell that the woman was still frazzled by their unnecessarily violent entrance, and that she needed to be spoken to calmly. "I hope you don't mind me asking, ma'am, but when exactly was Hinata here?"

"Please, just call me Yuuka." She rested her elbow on the arm of her chair and leaned backwards, sighing quietly. "I let Hinata stay here for the night; she seemed pretty tired out, and there was nowhere else for her to go. She left yesterday morning."

"So she was alone?"

"Oh, goodness, no! She was with that lovely boyfriend of hers, Deidara."

"_BOYFRIEND?"_

Yuuka didn't understand why the color drained out of the boys' faces, nor why her words had brought about expressions of both horror and incredulity onto their faces. _This woman must be in an extremely unhealthy state of mind_, Neji thought, unable to even comprehend how on earth she had come to this assumption. Deidara. He knew who that was. The 'artist' of the Akatsuki. So he was the one with Hinata. Why him, of all people? And why had they even separated from the rest of the criminals? In addition to all the others that had come before, these two questions hung unanswered in his head, taking up so much room that his temples were beginning to ache.

"She…she…you must be joking!" Kiba spluttered. "Hinata is _not_ with anyone, especially not him!"

"Well I couldn't possibly be wrong, sweetie," Yuuka said soothingly. "They never said they weren't a couple. And I saw the signs, too; the way they looked at each other, the way they interacted, and not to mention of course that they shared a room –"

"THEY SHARED A BEDROOM?"

Neji immediately slapped his palm over the shinobi's mouth, blocking the long stream of curse words that erupted out of the man's mouth. The woman really didn't need to hear any of this. She was already stressed enough, he could see it by the way she nervously twiddled her thumbs together and how she was as pale as a sheet. It would be best to leave her as soon as possible. But not before they got the information they needed.

"She just never told us about this, that's all," he explained over his friend's muffled complaints. "My friend here's just overreacting. He doesn't like surprises. Would you mind telling us where she went? It's been a long time since I've seen her; I'd like to visit."

"Of course, dear! They've gone on their way back to Iwagakure. If they haven't reached it yet, you might be able to find them at a small inn a ways out of the village."

_Why are they going to Iwagakure? Is that where the Akatsuki have relocated to? _"I see. Thank you very much for your time. A couple more of our comrades will be heading this way." He nodded at the broken window and the mess around it. "They'll be more than happy to clean this up."

"Oh that'd be lovely, thanks. Now, if you two wouldn't mind, I'm not exactly in the best state at the moment, and I would like my rest."

"Thank you for your troubles.

Making sure to keep his hand clamped tightly around Kiba's mouth, he forcefully guided his comrade outside and waited until they out of earshot before he finally allowed the man to speak.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, HYUUGA?" he yelled. Akamaru trotted up to them, growling slightly when he heard the tone of his owner's voice. "HINATA WAS THERE! AND THAT WOMAN THOUGHT THAT SHE AND THE AKATSUKI SCUM WERE FUCKING _LOVERS_."

"A man and woman travelling together, what else could she possibly think?" Neji asked, massaging his right temple with two fingers. "This is all very…confusing."

"Confusing? That's all you can say? That lady is a complete idiot! She let them _sleep in the same room_."

"If they camped outside, it's pretty much the same."

"How the hell are you so fucking calm about this, Neji? What if he did something to her? I swear to Kami, if he touched her, I'll kill him. I'll fucking murder the bastard."

"He is _mine_," Neji snarled, taking Kiba completely by surprise. "If he hurt my cousin in any way, you will not get a chance to have him. Because I will be there first. But right now we have to think rationally. At this moment, she's definitely only travelling with one of them, and if we can find her before they regroup with the rest of the Akatsuki, I bet we can take this guy down easily. So for now, let go of your anger, and focus on finding their scent so we can bring these guys down. Understood?"

"…I understand. Let's go."

* * *

**A/N: **Guys, thanks so much for all your reviews, they make me feel so warm and bubbly inside :D I'm glad I'm getting the characters right, and that you all are enjoying the story so much.

So I've finally made use of this whole image manager thing and given this story a cover, courtesy of Myosotis, the artist. So woohoo, the story has a cover image!

AnimexXxGoddess and Tropic Cola (time machine!), the whole Hidan x Hinata pairing made me crack up because although I admit it's definitely an interesting ship, I couldn't possibly write about it. It's just way too cracky for me XD

And lastly, to everybody, thanks for following this story, for adding it to you favorites, and of course for your reviews (each one is like a little ball of sunshine, hehe :D). See you in the next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

As his mind swam back up into consciousness, Deidara slowly opened his eyes. All he could see was a blur of orange light and some smears of brown and grey, the orange being the most intense and vivid of them all.

"Too much light," he groaned, rolling over with the intention of burying his face into his pillow. Instead, his forehead met the cold wooden floorboards with a loud _smack _that rang around the entire room. He yelled out in pain and shot onto his feet, swearing at the ground with all his might. "What the hell?"

Looking around, he realized that everything in his room was in the wrong place. The bed was supposed to be against the wall opposite the window, and the small night table was on the wrong side of the bed, and the bathroom door was in the completely wrong area. Nothing made sense – at least, not until he spotted the blue-haired lump almost completely buried beneath the bed sheets.

_This is her room, _he realized, stretching his arms over his head in an attempt to work away the tension in his muscles. _I slept on the floor. Well I'm a total gentleman, aren't I?_

Moving over to the bed, he pulled the sheets away from her head so he could get a look at her face. She was sound asleep, hair splayed around her head and skin glowing in the light. Even when asleep she still had the ability to make his breath catch. Deidara caught himself staring and quickly moved away, unable to comprehend the strange sensations he could feel moving around inside him.

This couldn't be real. Last night, everything they shared, none of it could truly be happening. He wasn't used to feeling this way about anyone. Of course there had been girls over the years, girls whom he had had a slight interest in, but when it came down to it he would rather spend time on his art than with any one of them. None of them had been important enough for him to actually keep focus on. But Hinata was different. She could light up the room just as brightly as any one of his explosions. And in his world, that was saying something.

But it could never work between them. She was supposed to be his _prisoner, _not his love interest! When he pictured taking her back to the Akatsuki's new base – wherever that was – and being locked up in another dingy cell, it didn't give him the same satisfaction or thrill he had felt the first time he met her. No, this time it caused a knot to form in the pit of his stomach, and even though the picture slipped away from his mind the knot refused to untangle itself. It was strange, actually dreading the thought of someone's imprisonment. He was so used to enjoying his prisoners' suffering. Until now.

_What am I supposed to do? _he asked himself. _Am I supposed to just take her back to the rest and act like none of this ever happened? Damn it, this was so much easier when I didn't actually care about her. _

Crossing the room to the window, he looked through the dirty glass to the woods beyond. He could see the sun setting behind the trees, and the sky growing darker and darker. Wait a minute, that couldn't be right. Wasn't it supposed to be morning? That was certainly what his body clock was telling him, but the sun was telling him the exact opposite.

"Shit!" he hissed. "I slept through the entire day! Fucking hell, I was supposed to go to Iwa hours ago!"

Running towards the door, he hesitated only when he remembered the sleeping girl behind him. Well, hopefully she would stay asleep until he got back. He didn't want to leave her alone there in such a shady place, but he didn't want to wake her up either. Finally, he chose to take her key and lock the door behind him. At least that way no-one could get in if they tried.

It didn't take Deidara long to find the path leading straight to Iwa. The road was barren and lacked any sort of brush or vegetation around it, and there wasn't even a single sign of any other traveler. He was completely alone.

Even though they hadn't been journeying together for long, already the trip felt strange without the Hyuuga's familiar presence beside him. Travelling without Tobi was nothing. In fact, it was a lot more enjoyable. But this was an entirely different situation. This was Hinata.

"Stop daydreaming," a voice ordered from behind his ear, causing the blonde to swing his fist backwards in a defensive movement.

"**Hey!**" Zetsu yelled, ducking just in time as the punch cut through the air right above his head. "**For heaven's sake, Deidara! Can't you recognize my voice?**"

"Look, if you keep on startling me like that, you will end up getting a punch in the face!" Deidara exclaimed, snarling at his comrade. "Couldn't you try appearing like a _normal _person for once?"

"It's not as fun. So where's the girl?"

"Back in the inn, locked in her room." He took the key out of his pocket and swung it around his fingers. "What, you don't trust me now?"

"**Just making sure,**" Zetsu replied innocently. He and Deidara strode at a steady pace down the path, and for a few minutes neither of them said anything. "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?"

"I assumed it's because you have this secret obsession with me."

"Just listen Deidara. When you finish getting your clay, go back to the inn and wait for me there. I'll take you to the new base."

"…What are we going to do then?"

"What do you mean?"

"With Hinata. I mean, keeping her like this, I don't know how long we'll be able to keep it up anymore. Does Pein-sama….does he plan to send her back to Konoha, to keep her longer, to kill her…what does he want to do with her?"

"Does it matter?"

"…I guess not."

"**That's adorable. You actually care about what happens to her.**"

"I do not! Do you really think I'd care about some shinobi from Konoha?!"

"And now he's getting defensive! Oh, this is interesting!** I'm curious now; just how much have you been enjoying her company? Hm?**"

"I will set you on fire. Mark my words, Zetsu."

"You don't have any clay yet. Your threats are empty."

"…Damn it, just get lost already. The faster you leave, the faster I can get back and make sure she isn't trying anything."

"**I'll be back around midnight. Don't forget.**"

"Alright, alright!"

Rolling his eyes, the blonde continued to move forward as Zetsu turned around and walked the other way, disappearing from his vision. What great timing this 'friendly chat' was. His comrade's teasing words had struck a nerve, and now Deidara faced a new dilemma. What would happen if the Akatsuki ever found out about his feelings for Hinata?

_I'll be doomed, _he moaned internally, covering his face with his palm. _It could happen in so many different ways, but all of them end the exact same way. Fucking hell! Okay, I have until midnight to figure this out. Until then I'll just focus on getting my clay. After that, that's when I can freak out._

* * *

"…It's night?"

Hinata's confused statement bounced around the walls of the darkened room, and she rubbed her eyes, wondering if the shadows encompassing the room were merely just a trick of the light. But they were still there when she stopped, encouraged by the pale light entering through the window.

This could only be happening for two reasons. Either she had barely slept at all, and sooner or later the sun would be coming up, or she had been so fatigued by the previous day's journey that she had slept through the entire day.

…_Where's Deidara? _She wondered, sitting up straight on her bed and looking around the room. There was no sign of the blonde, and she couldn't hear anything save for her own breathing. Had he gone back to his room once she had fallen asleep?

Her cheeks began to burn as she recalled the events the night before and just how bold she had been as she recalled planting her lips on Deidara's once more, and his hands running through her hair while her own explored his jaws and his neck. And then he had pulled her closer, his strong arms trapping her against his chest, and any hint of sanity she had left had just disappeared.

She pushed the memory out of her head, fully aware of how much of an effect it was having on her even though it was nothing more than a recollection. Where was the boy who had used to dominate her thoughts? It seemed he had been completely pushed out of his place, no longer to mock her with his smiles and cheerful words.

It was so different, what she had felt for Naruto and what she now felt for Deidara. This feeling certainly didn't hurt as much. And while her love for Naruto had shown her no promise and looked like it would only lead to heartbreak, this was completely different. She knew the Akatsuki member liked her, just as much as she liked him. It was as simple as that. There were no worries, no doubts, no nerves. She just knew that they felt the same way.

_Wait…now that I think about it, weren't we supposed to go Iwa? I'd better go ask him about that. _Pushing the bedsheets away from her, she silently made her way to the door. When she tried to turn the handle, however, she discovered that it wouldn't budge. _What's going on? Is it stuck?!_

The next two minutes were spent in vain as she repeatedly tried to open the door, and again and again it failed. Come to think of it, where was the key? Scanning the room, she couldn't see the key anywhere, and began to panic. What had happened? Was she trapped here in this tiny room? She didn't remember Deidara leaving the room the night before, but since he wasn't there now, it meant he must've left sometime when she was asleep. Had he taken the key with him and locked her inside? Why would he have done that? What possible reason could he have now to even consider the idea?

"I need some air," she mumbled, rushing over to the window and pushing it open. She leaned out slightly, breathing in the cool night air with great relief. "It's okay. I don't know why it's locked…but it can't be to keep me in. I could climb down the roof easily. It has to be something else."

Gazing at the darkened treetops and low lights glinting through windows below, she rested her chin on the palm of her hand and allowed her mind to enter a calm and relaxed state. It was a beautiful night. There was no chill in the air; the breeze was pleasant, and it wound itself around her, ruffling her bangs slightly. _He probably left without me, _she sighed inwardly, closing her eyes. _I could check…but there's no point in that. I wonder what's going to happen after this…they're going to want him back now…_

Her eyes shot open when she realized what this meant. She'd end up right back in the arms of the Akatsuki. A prisoner in the truest sense of the word once more. She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't. Just thinking about the days back in that mansion was enough to send a shudder down her spine.

Then there was Deidara, and this whole situation between them. But just as they had decided to ignore reality the night before, she was forced to acknowledge it now. This couldn't continue. Once they were with the main group of villains once again, it wasn't like either of them would reveal that anything had happened. And no matter how much she liked the blonde, no matter how much she wanted to stay with him, to talk with him, to learn more about him and to simply _be _with him, it was impossible. She would not allow herself to be a captive to those people once more. She had to escape. And now was her best chance of doing so.

Craning her neck forward, she took a look at her surroundings. Directly below her was a tiled roof that sloped down, and from there it was a short jump to the ground. From there it would only take her a few seconds to get under the cover of the trees without being seen. Slipping one leg out the window and onto the roof, she looked back into the room, making sure there was nothing she wanted to take with her.

"They gave me that pack…it won't help me." Turning back to the task at hand, she began to crawl through the window when a slight _thud _echoed throughout the night. She immediately recoiled, drawing herself back in so that she was hunched over in the opening. It was very, very, faint, but she could hear the slight sound of footsteps rushing over the tiles, coming closer and closer towards her. "What's going – ack?!"

She was barely able to finish her sentence when a large mass appeared out of nowhere and lunged into her, throwing her right back into the room. The breath was completely knocked out of her, a situation that certainly wasn't helped by the heavy weight on top of her. As she tried to regain her breath, the person – for now she could see that it was clearly a person, although their features were still unclear – rolled off of her and helped her into a sitting position.

"Who are you?!" she gasped, attempting to inch away from the stranger. Her eyes met his, and she nearly did a double take when she realized she recognized his features, and the distinct red markings on his cheeks. "Kiba?! Is that you?"

"Who else would it be?" he asked, flashing her a cocky grin.

That was all the confirmation that she needed, and she immediately wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. His arms wound around her and he pulled her against his chest, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Kiba, how…I mean, how did you…It's just, it's been…Oh, I'm so happy to see you!" she could feel tears threatening at her eyes, and she buried her face into his neck in an attempt to stifle them.

She had never, ever expected to see him here. She hadn't even been sure she would make it back to Konoha. But he was here, in the flesh. Her best friend was here. He had found her. She was so overwhelmed with emotion that she could barely even think; instead she simply allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of his embrace.

"I'm sorry I knocked you down, it's just I kind of got over-excited," he mumbled sheepishly. "And I wasn't sure you were even real. I was afraid I was just dreaming."

"I c-could say the same," she laughed, drawing back to look at him once more.

"I don't think so," he said, meeting her gaze. "Damn it, Hinata, do you have any idea how happy I am to see you right now?"

"I…it's mutual," she said. "How did you do it? How did you find me?"

"Your jacket helped," he replied, winking at her. "I've been working my ass off to find you, and it paid off! And it's not only me. Neji's outside, waiting for us, and so is Akamaru of course, and everyone else is probably trying to catch up with us." Something important seemed to come to his mind, because he became tense and immediately shot to his feet, pulling Hinata up with him. "Is he here? That Akatsuki guy you've been with? It smells like he's been in here recently."

"He's not inside this room, but I don't think he's in the inn right now. I was about to leave, but then you came!"

"Yeah, sorry about that…violent entrance. Hey, you're not stuttering."

"Eh?"

"No stutter. It's different. You seem different." He held her out at arm's length and scrutinized her, causing a light red blush to cross her face. "But it's not bad, I mean. Gah, I'm such an idiot! Are you okay, Hinata?"

"Am I okay?"

"I know, it's a stupid question, but it's important all the same. You don't look hurt, but _are _you hurt?"

"I…I'm fine…Um, we should really be going, before he gets back."

"Right! I guess I can get the details later. Come on!"

Taking her hand, he led her through the window and onto the roof. He neatly leapt to the ground, and then signaled for her to jump. She nodded and ran off the roof, landing neatly in his waiting arms. He carefully set her onto the ground and they began to run into the forest.

"Where is Neji?" she asked, activating her Byakugan to search for him. To her surprise, she spied the long-haired shinobi in the strangest place. He wasn't waiting for them down the path they were following like she had expected, but he was back at the inn, hiding in the shadows surrounding it. "…What's he doing back there?"

"Well, we were on our way here, to this place, when we realized that if we could get you back, there was a chance to kill two birds with one stone."

"…I don't understand."

"The Akatsuki can't just be allowed to get away with this. With taking you, with messing with Konoha, they've gone way too far. They got their revenge – now it's our turn. Neji's going to get the guy who was with you, and we're going to take him back to Konoha."

Hinata felt a sinking feeling deep in her stomach, and she slowed her pace. Kiba noticed and he slowed down with her, moving in to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry, he won't get anywhere near you," he reassured her. "This son of a bitch is going to get everything he deserves, and then some. Let's see how the Akatsuki likes that."

* * *

Deidara strode eagerly down the moonlit path with the intention of getting back to the inn as soon as possible, purely so that he could show off the bulging bags of clay he carried around his hips. He had caught a lucky break; his supplier had been delayed, so by the time he got to their meeting place the man was still there. He was surprised to see the blonde himself, as normally one of the Akatsuki's scouts would pick it up for him, but he didn't say a word and simply gave him what he asked for.

And now the artist was giddy with excitement, ready to delve himself into his art once again. The fact that it gave him a chance to show off to Hinata was also part of the excitement, too. This time he could actually thoroughly show her just how beautiful his work could be, explosion and all.

_I still don't know what I'm going to do, _he thought as he caught sight of the inn in the distance. He stopped on the spot, contemplating how exactly he would approach the situation in front of him. He had to make his choice.

A rustling in the trees beside him caught his attention, and he turned his gaze towards the branches, attempting to peer between the thick foliage. Huh. He was sure he had heard something there. It was probably just the wind.

He continued on his way, slightly disturbed. Even though it really could have just been the wind, he felt as though he wasn't alone, like someone was watching him…

In the split second it took him to duck to the ground, two kunai whistled right past his head and hit the ground, embedding themselves in the dirt.

"What the hell?!" he hissed, swiveling around to face his opponent. The man had leapt out from the tree branches and was now standing above him, glaring at him with eyes that belong to someone else he knew. _This guy…is he related to Hinata?! _"Who the hell are you?!"

The veins around the shinobi's eyes stood out proudly as he shifted into what Deidara could only imagine was an offensive stance. The blonde leapt to his feet, prepared to open up his bag of clay and blow this sucker sky high. However, this left him wide open to the jab the Hyuuga aimed right for his stomach. The blow sent him reeling backwards, and he slammed into the trunk of one of the larger trees, his arm wrapped around his middle as though it would stop the excruciating pain.

He tried to reach his free hand into one of the pouches at his side, but his opponent was prepared. His foot slammed into Deidara's wrist and pinned it to the trunk behind him.

"That was easier than I thought," he sneered, pressing his foot harder against the man's arm. _…He's fucking right, _the blonde groaned, slamming his head back onto the tree. _I was too fucking distracted._

"What do you want?"

"Revenge. See, I'm just an angry shinobi from Konoha whose cousin was abducted by some guys in black cloaks. Ring a bell?"

_Fuck's sake. Her little rescue team has arrived. _"If you think I'll tell you where she is, you've got another thing coming."

"Do you really think we're that hopeless? We've already got her. But you want to know what's even better? Now we have you, too."

* * *

**A/N: **My apologies for the late update, everyone, I've just been so busy with the summer homework I was assigned for school that I didn't really get a chance to write this until tonight. I'm also sorry if this chapter isn't up to par with the rest, I tried to get it done as quickly as possible for you guys. I'm afraid the next chapters will come at a slower pace as well because I'm still tied up with work, but I'll try my best to write as much as I can when I am free.

To the guest who left that lovely review stating why they didn't like this story, I'd like to refer you to **Myosotis's **review, which states pretty much everything I would have said. If you don't like this story, then don't read it. It's as simple as that.

To everyone else (whom I love and adore so much) thanks for adding the story to your alerts and favorites, it always makes me happy to see that people are enjoying this story. Reviews make my day, so by all means, feel free to drop one by. Thanks for reading ~


	14. Chapter 14

_Caught by the enemy...well I'm just the greatest villain alive._

Deidara let out a loud sigh and rested his head against the tree he was tightly bound to, ignoring the menacing glare of the man who had put him in this position. The mouths on his hands attempted to gnaw at the tape covering them completely in the hopes of breaking free, but they could barely graze the material, let alone tear it apart. Frustrated with his position, he fixed his gaze on the star-filled sky and began to recite every profane word he knew.

"You should consider yourself lucky," Neji said, folding his arms across his chest. "I can't do anything until the ANBU get here to take you away. But when we're back in Konoha, I'll show you the true wrath of a Hyuuga."

"I'm shaking," Deidara replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Straining against the ropes pressing deep into his skin, he attempted once more to break free of these bonds. But it was hopeless, they were just too strong. His eyes landed on the bags filled with clay, and he couldn't help but sigh once again. His beautiful, perfect clay, which had taken him so long to get was sitting beside the Hyuuga's feet, wide open and contents nearly spilling out, as though the shinobi was trying to mock him with it.

This was never how he had expected the night to end. In fact, the idea of being found by the Konoha-nin had never even occurred to him. After all, why would it? They weren't supposed to know where he was. They shouldn't have been able to find him so easily. Yet now roles had been reversed, and while Hinata had been freed by her friends and was probably running off back to safety he was stuck here with possibly one of the most annoying shinobi he had ever encountered.

Hinata. No. He wouldn't allow himself to think about her. It had been enough to distract him and cause his loss before. He would learn from his previous mistake. Yet even so, these longing thoughts fought hard against the mental barrier he had set up, and it was all he could do to prevent her smiling face from taking over his mind. If he hadn't noticed Neji's unwavering gaze focused on him, the barrier might have crumbled.

"Will you quit staring at me?!" the blonde growled. The shinobi shot a smug grin at him, and the blonde's grimace only grew deeper.

"I have to go check out your rooms at the inn anyways and see if you left anything useful there." Grabbing the pouches of clay, he made his way to the glowing building in the distance.

_He must be confident in his knot-tying skills, the cocky bastard, _Deidara thought. His desire to escape was brought back to life, and he feverishly struggled against the ropes once more. Maybe, possibly, there was a chance for him to actually break loose and then make a run for it. The Hyuuga would surely be able to see where he went, but if the blonde was fast enough there was a good chance that he wouldn't catch up.

But at this point it was more likely that he would stay trapped here, and that he was utterly and completely screwed.

"You're doing a fantastic job over here. **Pein-sama would be so pleased.**"

"Zetsu?!"

Although his comrade's body wasn't actually present anywhere around, his voice was emanating from a spot on the tree right beside Deidara's ear. If he turned his face to the side he could just barely make out the shape of a face in the rough bark.

"Hello, Deidara," Zetsu answered.

"This is great! Now get me the fuck out of this thing!"

"**Sorry, but that's not why I'm here.**"

"...WHAT?!" If he could have caught the man's eye, the blonde would have given him a look filled with incredulity. "If this is your idea of a joke, let me save you time and tell you that it's NOT FUNNY."

"**I'm completely serious. Whether you like it or not, you're going back to Konoha with them.**"

"Why the hell should I do that?!"

"Just listen. We don't have much time before your new friend gets back. Pein-sama doesn't want to give away all the details; right now it's better that you don't know much. But this is exactly what we wanted to happen."

"...Please, explain to me why exactly it's fucking _better_ that I don't know shit when nothing you say is making any sense!"

"**I'm not here to argue with you, Deidara; I'm here to tell you not to do anything rash. Just be a good little captive. It's only for a short while, then we'll come and get you.**"

The blonde frowned at Zetsu's words. He was just beginning to notice that each time they had a conversation his comrade never actually gave him any information. He was always vague and unclear, simply telling Deidara what he was expected to do, but never why.

"Forget it, Zetsu," he muttered darkly. "I'm not going to go with one damn thing you say unless you tell me what exactly you guys are planning. They way I remember it, we took Hinata because that was our revenge. Torture the Konoha-nin with that. And now she's back with them, but you want _me _to go there? It doesn't make any sense! How is my being stuck in their jail cells possibly going to help us?!"

"Deidara, there's a good reason why I'm not telling you everything. But trust us – this revenge of ours is far from over**. I have to go now. Don't do anything stupid**!"

_And now he's gone. Damn it...As much as I don't like it, I'd better go along with their plan, whatever it is, even if I don't like the fact that nobody's telling me anything. _And then, just as he expected, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. What he hadn't expected was the number of footsteps approaching. _So...the ANBU have arrived._

"He's over here," Neji called out, motioning towards the tree the blonde was tied to. One by one a long line of masked shinobi entered his field of vision, followed by Konoha's famous jinchuriki and the pink-haired girl who had murdered Sasori. _She's the one who should have been taken, _Deidara thought bitterly, meeting her angry stare with one of his own. _Hinata shouldn't have been punished for what this girl did to Sasori. _

"It's you!" Naruto gasped, recognizing the Akatsuki member. "You're one those guys who kidnapped Gaara!"

"Ah, you remember me?" Deidara grinned. His voice took on a mocking tone. "I don't blame you; I am pretty hard to forget. Tell me, do you also remember my art? It was beautiful, wasn't it?"

"Don't let him goad you into anything," Sakura said, placing a restraining hand on the jinchuriki's shoulder. "He's going to be locked up for a long time. And then there's the interrogation for him to look forward too."

Naruto nodded and then the two walked over to Neji, leaving Deidara to wonder what exactly they meant by interrogation. He'd heard about the certain techniques they used, and he definitely wasn't interested in experiencing any of them. _They won't have me long enough to get anything out of me...right? Gah! I hope Pein-sama actually thought about just what's going to happen to me...That cousin of Hinata's, I know he wants a piece of me before anyone else. I guess until he gets his wish, I'm pretty much safe. As safe as you can be when everyone wants your head on a stick. Ah, the life of evil is not as easy as one would believe._

"...He seems to be deep in thought."

"It's better for us; no-one wants to hear the guy speak."

"How did you catch him, Neji? Was it really that easy?"

"The guy's a decent long-distance fighter, but come to close range and he's completely useless. Well, come on, Kiba and Hinata are on their way to Konoha; we should get going as well."

* * *

**Seven Days Later...**

Hinata sat on the edge of the hospital bed, swinging her feet to and fro as she stared blankly at the wall. She was wearing a large gray shirt over some sweatpants that one of the nurses had been thoughtful enough to bring to her from her home. A young lady sat at the foot of her bed, watching the Hyuuga intently. Hinata could feel the lady's eyes on her, but she ignored her and continued swinging her legs back and forth, determined not to say a word.

Three days. They had kept her in this hospital for three entire days. Even though she had insisted she was fine, that she was perfectly healthy and nothing was wrong with her, nobody had listened. Nobody had believed her. Not that she could blame them for this, of course. When she and Kiba had first entered Konoha, her muscles were completely sore, and she was covered in fading bruises. Her hair was shorter, and her cheeks were hollow. Apparently she had lost a lot of weight while she was in the hands of the Akatsuki, something she hadn't noticed until the doctor had pointed it out to her.

The first day they had allowed everyone to visit her, and the hospital room had been alive with a cheerful atmosphere as each one of her friends let her know just how happy they were she was safe. When visiting hours were up she was allowed her to sleep all of her fatigue away, but the next morning Tsunade had ordered for her to have a very thorough physical examination. Hinata knew that they were worrying so much because she had been gone so long – she hadn't asked them, but it must've been at least fourteen or fifteen days, give or take. She certainly hadn't been counting them herself. But the examinations themselves were certainly tiring; they put her through nearly every physical test she could've dreamt of, and left absolutely nothing to chance. What remained of the injuries she had sustained, the nurses healed with their medical jutsu. They had made sure that she completely finished her food – if you could call what they served _food_ –, and they kept someone with her at all times. Naturally Kiba had volunteered for this position, but they had declined, saying they needed people with actual medical experience. Personally Hinata would've preferred if it had been her teammate who had stayed. He would've been much more enjoyable company compared to the people they actually sent in to watch her.

Different nurses kept her company every time, each of them trying to achieve the same goal. She would always do as they asked – if they wanted to measure her pulse, check her blood, subject her to another test, she accepted all of this. However, the one thing that nobody was capable of achieving was getting her to talk about her time in the Akatsuki's grasp.

They had been persistent. Every waking moment someone would try to coax at least the smallest detail, but Hinata absolutely refused to talk about it. She had given them the basics – she was kept in a cell, they regularly gave her meals, and then she went travelling with Deidara. Nobody could convince her to give them any actual details as to what happened during her captivity. All methods failed them – there was pleading, bribing, urging, attempted trickery, but Hinata stayed silent through it all. Sure, you could have a normal conversation with her, she didn't mind that, but there was no way she would tell anyone what she had experienced.

_Deidara..._

Nobody could know. What they had shared between them, what had happened in the inn, it all had to stay a secret. She knew what would happen if they ever found out. They'd think she was crazy, insane even. It would be the only way they could even think to explain how she had developed feelings for a criminal, let alone the one who had seen her captivity right through to the end. She'd never be able to explain it to them. After all, he was a sadistic murderer. She was supposed to be scared of him, not falling for him.

It didn't help that she could always hear the whispers of the nurses as they stood in the doorway of her room, ready to switch shifts. _He must have done something awful¸_ they would say, eyeing her with pity. _Something horrible to make her keep quiet like this. That poor girl. She must be terribly scarred. _But that wasn't the case. It had never been the case. He had been _nice _to her. True, it wasn't like his compassion would have grown up to the point where he would allow her to escape from right under his nose, but he had shown her enough kindness to at least make her situation bearable.

"Hinata-san, if you don't want to talk to me, then please, do say so," the lady said, raising herself from her seat. Hinata's gaze slowly moved towards her. The woman wore thick-rimmed glasses, and her hair was swept up into a messy bun atop her head. She was the hospital's latest attempt at getting the Hyuuga to talk. A therapist. Right. Because it was definitely going to make the girl talk if they brought in an official.

"...I'm sorry, but I have nothing to say."

"Are you sure about that?" the woman hesitantly moved closer and met Hinata's look with her own. "There must be many things you want to talk about, things you need to get off your chest. Keeping it all bottled inside won't do you any good."

"There really is nothing to worry about," Hinata said, catching the woman off-guard with a cheerful smile. "I'm sorry I wasted your time here, but I'm _fine_. I told the doctor and the nurses everything they needed to know."

"Ah...well...erm...if you need to talk, we're all here for you." With that the woman moved towards the door, just as it was opening to reveal Kiba on the other side, grinning widely.

"Hey, Hinata!" he said, sidestepping the slightly flustered woman. She quickly shut the door behind her and he shot Hinata a questioning look, his smile growing even wider when she just sighed. "Ah, they're badgering you again, aren't they?"

"Unfortunately," Hinata nodded, moving to the side so her friend could sit down beside her. "Are they going to let me out today?"

"Well I asked Tsunade-sama about that, and she said they can't seem to find anything wrong with you, so you'll probably get to go home by tomorrow at the latest."

"That's great!"

His smile remained on his face, but his eyes revealed his true emotions. "Hinata...are you sure you're alright?"

"Absolutely," she answered reassuringly. "Really." She lowered her gaze and noticed that he had bandages wrapped around his knuckles. "What happened to you?"

"Ah, this?" He held his hand out and flexed his fingers. "It's nothing. Give it a couple of days and they'll be perfectly fine. I just got a bit over-excited."

"With what?"

"...It's nothing important."

His statement surprised Hinata, but she didn't say anything more. Instead she decided to use this moment to her advantage. He could give her information about anything that was going on outside, about things she could never ask the nurses about. And there was one particular question that had been stuck in her mind throughout her entire stay in the hospital. What was happening to Deidara?

She knew they had him. That they had locked him up in some deep dark part of Konoha's jails. Every single person she encountered had made sure to mention it, that he was locked up and far away, that he couldn't get near her. They thought this knowledge would make her feel happy. Little did they know that they were completely wrong.

"So, Kiba," she started, unsure of whether or not he would answer her. "What are they...what are they going to do with Deidara?"

"Well, they're leaving him alone for now. The Akatsuki must know that we have him, and that we have you back as well. They can't do anything at all while he's with us, so they're probably going to try to either break him out or strike some sort of deal with us. I heard the higher-ups are considering sending him for some very thorough interrogation –"

"What?! They can't do that!"

Hinata clapped her hands over her mouth immediately after she finished speaking, thinking that her sudden outburst would shock the Inuzuka. He seemed puzzled by her reaction, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he just continued speaking.

"If they do, it won't be right now. They're going to leave him alone for a while."

"Why would they do that?"

"...That's also not important."

"Kiba..."

"I have to go, Hinata. Shino and Kurenai are waiting for me in the training field. They would've come to see how you're doing, but the doctors didn't want you to be bombarded with too many visitors. I'll let them know you're better."

He hurried out of the room, leaving Hinata alone to mull over what she had just heard. Something was off. What wasn't Kiba telling her? What did he feel that he had to hide? But most importantly, what did he _know?_ His reaction to her exclamation...although he had seemed to be slightly perplexed, it hadn't shaken him in the least.

Just what had he been up to these past few days?

* * *

Kiba strode out of the hospital in a hurry, his hands jammed into his pockets and his head hanging low. He was ecstatic to know that Hinata was perfectly fine, yet there was a nagging in the back of his head that just wouldn't go away. Maybe it was because of how upset his statement about Deidara's possible interrogation had made her. Or maybe he just felt bad about keeping so much from her. But then, there were some things it was better to hide than to share...

**Flashback**

"_He's in there."_

_The prison guard gestured towards a solitary room at the end of the prison. It had a wooden door with a small square hole at the top, blocked off by thin yet strong iron bars. Neji and Kiba made their way to the room, ignoring the calls and yells of the prisoners they walked past. _

"_So, why is he in there again?" Kiba asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I thought he would've been placed in one of these cells."_

"_He was in the beginning," the guard replied. "We But then he started a riot."_

"_A riot?! How'd he manage that?"_

"_I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with those mouths on his hands. Those things were absolutely disgusting. Apparently he went around..._licking _his cellmates with them through the bars. But each time he manoeuvred it so it was pinned on someone else. Needless to say, things got pretty heated."_

"_...Oh."_

_They reached the door, and Kiba peered through the bars. Although it was dark, he could make out the blonde's silhouette. It looked like he was sitting cross-legged on the ground. _

"_You guys have ten minutes," the guard said, unhooking a set of keys from his side and sticking one into the lock. "Make them count."_

"_We plan to."_

_They entered the room, and the guard locked the door behind them. Deidara slowly looked up from the ground to face them and smirked._

"_What's this now?" he asked, picking himself up from the ground. His hands were bound together with metal shackles, and the guards had made sure to keep the mouths on his palms covered this time. His legs were also connected by chains, barely allowing him to stand, let alone walk. "Did you miss me? Well, well, I feel like a celebrity-!"_

_A loud _thwack _reverberated around the small stone room as Neji's palm connected with the blonde's stomach, and he reeled backwards, slamming into the wall behind him. _

"_Does it look like I'm in the mood to joke around?" the Hyuuga snarled, clenching his fists as he prepared to hit him again. "I don't want to hear your idiotic ramblings. Tell us, what were you people going to do with my cousin?"_

_Sucking in each breath as best as he could, Deidara raised his head and shot a malicious smile at his opponent. "What were we going to do? Well there are so many possibilities, I mean we could've tortured her, killed her, cut her up into little pieces and sent them one by one to you."_

_Just as he finished speaking Neji's foot swung towards his chest, but this time the blonde was prepared, and he raised his arms to block the attack the best he could. He hadn't anticipated that Kiba would move, and was caught off-guard when the Inuzuka's fist slammed into his jaw. _

"_Don't fuck with us!" Kiba growled, aiming another punch at the man with his other first. This time Deidara didn't even attempt to block it, instead he moved along with the hit as much as he could, in an attempt to lessen the damage. "Hinata's in the hospital, and she won't say a word about anything you people did to her. You chopped half her hair off, you gave her bruises, how the fuck could you all do that?! She never did anything to you people!"_

"_I didn't touch her," Deidara said simply, earning himself a powerful swipe in the side from Neji, who knew exactly where to aim to make it hurt the most. The blonde fell to his knees, coughing and spitting out small droplets of blood. _

"_Do you think we're idiots?!" Another blow to his side, to his ribs, to his stomach, everywhere that the Hyuuga could reach. _

_Kiba merely stood to the side as Neji repeatedly picked up the man, only to throw him back down with a flurry of well-aimed and incredibly strong blows. The blonde barely made a noise through the entire thing, clamping his lips tightly shut as though he was refusing to give them the satisfaction of knowing just how much pain he was in. Finally when he was satisfied, he backed away and nodded at Kiba, signalling that he was finished. Grabbing the neck of Deidara's shirt, Kiba hauled the blonde up and held him against the wall._

"_I hope you're enjoying this," he said, his gaze meeting the blonde's cold, stony glare. "This isn't just for you; it's for all your friends as well. For everything you did to Hinata."_

"_I never touched her."_

"_Stop talking bullshit!" _

_Kiba raised a fist to slam square in the middle of the man's face when he noticed something. Deidara wasn't afraid. He wasn't backing away anymore; he wasn't even planning to stop the attack. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't even tried to evade any of Neji's attacks either. What was going on? Here he was refusing to confess to his crimes, yet he had taken each fit without flinching._

"_Kiba, we have to go," Neji said as the jangling of keys outside the door reached their ears._

"_Give me a minute with him," Kiba replied. Neji nodded and left the room, and the door shut loudly behind him. "...What game are you playing?"_

"_Excuse me?" Deidara coughed loudly, and the Inuzuka refrained from saying any more until the blonde's coughing fit had died down._

"_You're not even trying to stop us. Just what the hell's going on here? You brag about what you people might have done to Hinata, and then you go and say that you did nothing to her?! It doesn't make sense!"_

"_It doesn't make sense because you don't want to believe it. But listen to me very closely here – and don't punch me in the face until I've finished speaking. I enjoy causing pain and blowing up things just as much as any criminal does. There are so many people who I've maimed or burnt to ashes that I've practically lost count. Their faces just blur together now. Their names are irrelevant, and I've never given a shit about their lives or any of the sort. However, if you pointed out the wreckage or the destruction that I've caused, I would gladly take credit for my work. So listen well when I say this: I never lay a finger on Hinata. In fact, I'm the only reason that she doesn't have half as many bruises and scars as she could have gotten. So why don't you people get rid of that fucking superior attitude of yours before you go accusing people of things they didn't do?"_

_Kiba wasn't sure how to respond to this statement. He wanted to yell out that the man was lying, that he should own up to what he did. Yet when he looked closely at Deidara's expression, he could see no laughter or mocking glimmer that said this was some sort of joke. No, this son of a bitch was being absolutely and utterly honest. _

_But how was that even possible?!_

"_Time to leave, Inuzuka," the guard called out, opening the door. Kiba wanted to stay and ask more questions, but he knew it would be too suspicious. Dropping Deidara to the floor, he spun on his heel and left. _

"_Kiba, your knuckles are bleeding," Neji said. Kiba looked down and realised the Hyuuga was right. He didn't realise just how hard he had punched the man. He glanced over at Neji's hands, which were perfectly intact._

"_Is that some sort of Hyuuga trick?" he asked. "Keeping yourselves perfectly neat even after you go beating down your opponents?"_

"_It's just skill," Neji replied. "Get those bandaged up. You know, either you do things really quietly, or you were talking to the guy in there."_

"_He was just spouting out a bunch of nonsense," Kiba muttered. _

_He wanted these words to be true, but he knew that this just wasn't the case. Something was wrong here, in this whole situation. And one way or another he would find out what._

**End Flashback**

Stopping in his tracks, Kiba looked back at the hospital and let out a frustrated sigh.

"I have to know, Hinata," he said to himself. "One way or another, I'm going to find out exactly what happened with you and the Akatsuki."

* * *

**A/N: **Hello, my darling readers! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Looks like things aren't going well for anybody right now. Thank you for your reviews and for adding this to your favorites and alerts [i know it's called 'following' now but I will always think of them as alerts]. c:  
Seeing as the story's at 65 reviews, let's help me get up to 70? Pretty please? ;D  
Thanks for reading, everyone!


	15. Chapter 15

"If you have any problems at all or feel like you need medical attention, please don't hesitate to return!"

Once again Hinata nodded her thanks to the doctor who had taken such good care of her and turned to face Kiba. He was leaning against the doorframe of the hospital's entrance, her small bag of clothes and toiletries hanging loosely from his fingers. She strode over to him with a spring in her step and couldn't help allowing a large smile to stretch across her face.

"You're happy to escape, aren't you?" he chuckled, standing up straight and joining her.

"Incredibly!" she replied cheerfully.

As they walked across the crowded village streets and nodded greetings to familiar faces, Hinata allowed herself to bask in the warmth of the afternoon sun and simply enjoy the breeze playing with the ends of her hair. The sky was tinted with the most incredible blue, and fluffy white clouds slowly sailed past the sun at a leisurely pace. All around her different passersby went to and fro, heading off to meet their friends, hurrying to their jobs, and some even just moving around aimlessly in order to enjoy the day, just like she was.

This feeling of euphoria was familiar to her. She had felt it once, on a moonlit night that seemed to have occurred ages in the past, in another life even. This was what it felt like to be free. It was true that she hadn't exactly been 'trapped' in that hospital, but at least now she didn't have to worry about check-ups, prying questions or the gossiping nurses .Even if this feeling lasted only for the shortest of moments, Hinata would gladly enjoy the little time she had. After going through everything she had experienced, and the torment of incessant worries and troubles, just being able to enjoy the beauty of a normal day was a great joy to her.

Even if this normality just didn't feel right anymore.

"We should resume training soon," she mused, clasping her hands behind her back. "I still have a long way to go."

"Hinata, you've only just gotten out of the hospital," he said. "Give yourself some time to recover."

"I don't think I'll be able to simply sit around at night and do nothing," she said. "It'll feel too...strange."

"You'll have to get used to it."

She nodded thoughtfully. Kiba watched the girl with a small smile on his face. She looked as though she didn't have a care in the world. If only it could always be like that. If only they could forget everything that had happened and just continue their lives just like before. Unfortunately for him, however, whether or not she had allowed herself to flee the grasp of her memories of the past weeks, his mind was absolutely fixated on these events.

Both of them continued onwards silently, preoccupied with their own thoughts. It wasn't long before the Hyuuga manor loomed above their heads and the guards at the gate were welcoming the heiress back with great joy.

"Welcome home, Hinata-sama!" they chorused. Blushing, Hinata greeted them equally as cheerfully.

"Thank you!" she turned to Kiba. "I can take my bag now. I'm sure you have a lot of things to do."

"Only a few small things," he said, handing her the bag. "But I'll meet you back here soon, okay? Kurenai and Shino think we should have a team meeting later on."

"Alright. See you later, Kiba!"

She waved goodbye to him and watched as he quickly disappeared from her sight. Sucking in a deep breath, Hinata walked past the opened gates and to the entrance of the main house. Her father hadn't visited her in the hospital; this was the first time she would see him. Although finally seeing her father was meant to be a joyous occasion, each step she took filled her with uncertainty and dread. What would her father say to her? Would he tell her what a disappointment she was allowing herself to have been captured so easily? Did he find it disgraceful that she couldn't escape on her own, that she had needed the help of her friends? Or would he simply be glad that she had finally returned home? Even though he was her father, Hinata knew his reaction wouldn't be pleasant.

Removing her shoes and placing her bag next to them, she slowly made her way inside. Her heart had somehow managed to lodge itself in her stomach, and she could feel its erratic beating just as clearly as she could hear it echoing in her head. Stretching her arm out in front of her, she could see her fingers trembling slightly.

_It's okay, _she told herself, forcing herself to take as deep a breath as she could. _It'll all be okay._

"Hinata."

The deep voice startled the Hyuuga, and she swivelled around. Her father was standing behind her, arms folded over his chest and eyes focused on her own. _When did he get there?!_

"I-it's good to see you again, Father," she said, bowing her head.

The next few seconds were spent in silence. Hinata's gaze was fixed on the floor, and Hiashi's gaze was fixed on her. Was he inspecting her? Was he actually concerned about her well-being? Did he just want to make sure that she was alright?

"...The servants will have your lunch ready for you in a few minutes. Your sister is busy training and I have important things to attend to, so you'll have to eat alone."

"Yes, Father."

...Was that all he was going to say to her? _Well...I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. But it's okay. This is just who he is. _She was so sure he wasn't going to say anything else that the sound of his voice managed to surprise her once again.

"It's good that you weren't badly hurt. It means you were actually able to protect yourself. But don't _ever_ let yourself get caught off-guard again. You're a Hyuuga. Act like one."

"...Of course, Father."

He nodded and turned around, walking out the way he came in. Hinata watched him go before she turned around proceeded to walk through the house to the back, where the entrance to the gardens was. Her reunion with her father had been simple. Short and sweet. Even though she knew that she should have expected this, that it would be nothing simple and that he wouldn't show even the slightest bit of interest, it still hurt her just how little he seemed to care. She was disappointed.

Unwilling to remain in the confines of the indoors once more, Hinata decided to spend some time in the garden. She stepped outside into the warm and welcoming sunlight. The blades of grass tickled the soles of her feet and a fierce blast of wind sent her hair flying around her face. Sighing, she looked back one more time to the now empty hallway. There went that incredibly happy feeling she had experienced earlier. But now that she was outside, at least she could breathe again, and her pulse had returned to a steady and healthy pace. Maybe rather than just 'taking it easy', staying out of her home would be better for her health than anything else.

Looking around, she decided to sit beneath the cover of a large, leafy tree. This shouldn't have reminded her of the willow tree. Of Deidara. But it did. And try as she might, not even the strongest efforts could remove these thoughts from her head. She could feel them bubbling up against the barrier she had erected, seeping through the cracks in the quickly weakening structure. It didn't help that each memory that slipped out wormed its way into her chest and wrapped itself around her heart, squeezing so tightly she was afraid it might burst.

Damn. And she had been able to banish him from her head for the entire morning, too. But now he was back with a vengeance, and he wouldn't leave her alone. Not even the moment with her father could penetrate her thoughts now – her head was dominated by a multitude of questions that popped up and one by one crammed into her brain.

She recalled how Kiba had been so reluctant to tell her about Deidara's situation while she was in the hospital. If she tried to ask him now, would it be any different? It was certainly worth a try. After all, she knew that at this point, even if she tried to build another wall and keep him out he'd still manage to get through. He'd already proven that.

"Hinata!"

Neji appeared in the distance, waving a hand at her as he quickly walked over to her. She waved back at him eagerly; it had been a while since she had seen her cousin. He had arrived in Konoha a while after she did, and by that time they had limited her visitors to just Kiba.

_Wait a second. He was the one who brought Deidara here, wasn't he?! Maybe he'll be able to answer my questions!_

"I didn't know you were here," she said as she lifted herself onto her feet. "How are you?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you," he replied. "What'd the doctors say?"

"They told me to up my diet a bit to get to the weight I should be at, and to get plenty of rest."

"I'll make sure that you do. Have you already seen your dad?"

"...Yeah. He's busy, though, so he left pretty quickly."

"I see..."

They lapsed into silence, and Hinata bit down on her lip as she tried to gather the courage to speak up. _You can do it! Just ask him – it's not that hard! _

Before she could even open her mouth, Neji beat her to the punch.

"Hinata, why won't you tell anyone what happened to you?"

"Eh?"

"A lot of rumours have been going around about what you went through while you were captured by the Akatsuki, and believe me when I say that half the things going around are enough to make me wonder just what the hell goes on in people's heads. But no-one can actually confirm or deny anything because you haven't said a single word."

Oh no. Not more of this. Not _again_.

"But I told the doctor and the nurses everything they needed to know."

"Right. The basic details. That's not enough, Hinata. Yesterday they were all over me, demanding I get some answers from you, seeing as Kiba and I couldn't get anything useful from that Akatsuki member."

"Wait, you questioned him?!"

"I wouldn't say it was exactly that, but pretty much, yes. He had his fun playing around, but in the end he didn't tell us anything useful. All he did was keep on saying that he didn't do anything to you, and nobody believes that."

"I want to see him." The words slipped out of Hinata's mouth before she could even think about what she was saying. As her statement registered in Neji's head, his eyes widened.

"You _what_?"

"I...I want to see Deidara."

Neji was completely taken aback. Something definitely must've been wrong with his cousin, because here she was telling him that she wanted to go and visit the man who had kept her prisoner and done who-knew-what to her.

"Are you feeling okay?" He moved in closer and held the back of his palm to her forehead, checking to see whether or not she was suffering from the delirium normally brought on by fevers.

"I'm fine. I just...I just have some things I want to ask him. Things that I _need_ to ask him. You know...for closure. I won't be able to move on unless I do this." She lied more smoothly than she had ever done before. Was this how much she wanted to see him, to know how he was? That she would go out of her way to make up things and trick those closest to her?

She stared at Neji as he folded his arms across his chest and contemplated her words. He seemed to be struggling with two different answers, which was in fact entirely the case. Even though she had given him an explanation, he still didn't understand the situation. But then, it wasn't like he had had any experience that would let him understand it. So now he was facing a crossroads: should he give in to her wishes and let her see him? Or was it too soon for her? It wasn't as though Tsunade or any of the other higher-ups had forbid her from seeing him. And if there was a chance that it would get her to open up to them...

"...Alright," he sighed resignedly. Hinata beamed at him, overjoyed by his answer. "I'll take you to him. But not right now. We'll do it tonight. You don't want people seeing us and spreading more rumours around the village, do you?"

"O-of course not! Thank you, Neji!"

"Don't thank me just yet – I'm not sure whether we'll be able to make this work. I'll have to let Tsunade-sama know. As long as she says yes, we're in the clear."

"I'm really, very grateful!" She would've continued to express her gratitude in one of the servants hadn't run up to her, bowing down respectfully when they reached the tree.

"Excuse me, Hinata-sama, your lunch is ready," the servant said. "I apologize for the wait."

"Ah, it's no trouble!" Hinata smiled. She turned back to Neji. "Neji, would you like to join me?"

"I shouldn't. It'll be better if I go and ask Tsunade-sama sooner rather than later. I'll come back soon and let you know her response."

"Alright. Good bye!"

She followed the servant back into the house, her smile stuck on her face. The thought of seeing him again excited her to no end. It felt like it had been so long ago since she last saw him, on the night when they had disregarded everything but each other. What would she say to him? What would _he_ say to her? It would be hard to speak freely if Neji was there breathing down her neck the entire time, but she would figure something out. Either way, it didn't matter.

She was finally going to see him.

* * *

_Deidara opened his eyes, his hand hovering above his brow in order to shield them from the bright light seeping in through the small window. Even though the amount of light he could get in this cell was very limited, somehow the rays had managed to illuminate the entire room, bouncing off the stone walls and eliminating the remaining shadows in their entirety. _

_Slowly he tried to lift himself off the ground, but the intense throbbing in his midsection and the aches all over the rest of his body stopped his effort entirely. Ah, fuck. Well, it wasn't like he had expected those bruises the Konoha-nin gave him to heal after a just day or two. Things like that took time._

"_Deidara?"_

_The blonde's head snapped up. Standing above him was none other than Hinata. She was donning a loose white dress and a lavender cardigan, and the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. She was so radiant that he wasn't even sure if the light in the cell was coming from the window or from her. How had she gotten in here? In fact, what was she doing here? Was she even real, or was she just a product of his cruel imagination?_

_She knelt down beside him and gently moved his head so that it was resting on her lap. Her mere touch sent what felt like a cool breath of air through his body, relieving his muscles of their tension and dulling the terrible soreness he felt. He exhaled loudly, closing his eyes for a moment and enjoying the sensation as it worked its way through his system. He felt her fingertips brush against his cheek and he leaned into her touch, allowing her to cup his cheek in her hand. _

"_You're really hurt, aren't you?" she said sadly._

"_It's nothing I can't handle," he said, lifting his eyelids to take in the view of her face turned down towards him. "I'll survive. Why are you here, Hinata?"_

"_Huh?" she seemed confused by his question. "I'm here to see you."_

"_Why would you do that?" he looked away from her, choosing to focus on the wall beside him instead. "What's the point of it? You're back home, with all your little friends and family. Why would you want to see me of all people when you have the rest of them to think about? I'm the villain in this story, remember? The evil sorcerer who stole the princess from her castle. Well now the princess has been returned, and will be off to marry some prince and live happily ever after while the sorcerer wastes away in the dungeons. It's a fitting end for him, isn't it?"_

"_I'd never want you to waste away!" she cried out, seemingly horrified by the thought. _

_He glanced at her sideways. Her eyes were brimming with nothing but warmth and kindness. There were no malicious intent directed at him, no hatred or anger in her eyes. She should hate him, loathe him, be completely revolted by him, but he could find nothing of the sort there. _

_It scared him. Thinking that because she had been returned to her home she would forget about him, act as though nothing had ever happened between them. Why wouldn't she do that? After all, their circumstances hadn't exactly been __**normal. **__It wasn't like they would've ever been able to continue on the way they had been. It would be easier to just kill every single emotion they had shared. Hell, he had certainly wanted to go in that direction, but he had never been good at swallowing his feelings. _

"_Hinata..." _

_He wasn't sure what he wanted to say. Hinata, we could never work, you should give up now. Hinata, I'm a cold-blooded and merciless killer, you're far too sweet-natured and kind-hearted to ever be associated with the likes of me. Hinata, any association with me will destroy your reputation; your village would never forgive you. Hinata, you're the most kind and caring girl I've ever met, but...but...Hinata, you know what? You're fucking amazing. And as great as I am, I'm definitely not worth your time. You should just distance yourself from me now and forget I ever existed if you want to be happy._

"_Deidara, it's okay to let yourself feel something," she said, bending forward so that her face was even closer to his than it had been before. "You don't need to deny it."_

"_I can't, Hinata," he replied. "And neither can you. It's all too much trouble. In the eyes of the rest of the world it's madness. And in fact, that's exactly what this is. Complete and utter madness."_

"_Then we'll just have to be mad together, won't we?" she mused, giving him a small smile. His heart skipped a beat, and he felt his cheeks warm up slightly. _

_This girl, this one girl...why was it that out of all the females he'd ever encountered, she had to be the one to take away his heart?_

"Oi, wake up!"

Groaning, Deidara opened his eyes to a dimly lit and blurry world. From what his body clock was telling him it must've been some time in the late afternoon, possibly earlier. _It was all just a dream..._he was slightly disappointed by this realisation, but he certainly wasn't surprised. These days anything good felt like it was a dream away. He felt a hand roughly grab his shoulder and haul him up into a sitting position, causing an explosion of pain throughout his entire body.

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?" he cursed, blinking rapidly until his vision cleared up.

"He's all yours," the guard said. Deidara watched him stride out of the room and slam the door shut before he looked at the person who had so rudely interrupted his sleep.

"You," he hissed. Kiba didn't respond – instead he dropped down to the ground before the door and crossed his legs beneath him. "What the hell do you want?"

"I want answers," Kiba replied, steadily meeting the blonde's glare. "Are you willing to give them to me?"

"Fuck off. There's no way I'm going to help you with anything."

"Well, well, looks like you've had a change in attitude since my last visit."

"You did just interrupt a very enjoyable dream. If you hadn't, maybe I would've been in a nicer mood. Now, I'd like to get back to it, so don't forget to shut the door on your way out."

"I'm not leaving until I get answers."

"You won't get any from me. You asked me things last time – and look where that got me. For all I know my body's entirely black and blue."

"It's your own fault for being such a damn smartass."

"Hmph." Deidara stopped talking and waited for the shinobi to leave, but the damned man was practically glued to the floor. "I'm not going to answer anything. There's no point in your staying."

"I think you'll actually enjoy answering some of these questions, being the twisted bastard you are. Remember that old lady you and Hinata stayed with before you went to that inn?"

"Nothing I did and no-one I met back then is any of your business."

"Just shut up and listen. I was thinking about what she said, you see, when we were interviewing her. And you know what she called you and Hinata? She called you two a couple." Deidara could see where this was going, but he didn't say a word. "When I first heard that, I figured the lady was mad. She must've been to ever even contemplate the idea of you and Hinata being together. But then I was telling Hinata about what we might do with you, and she seemed to actually _care_. That got me thinking. Either you were just being incredibly nice to Hinata, or something else was happening on the sidelines. Something that I never, ever wanted to even consider. I asked Hinata what happened to her while she was kidnapped, but she was the wrong person to ask, and that was the wrong question. What I really should've asked was did something happen between _you and her. _You say you didn't hurt her, but you would hurt anyone else in a heartbeat. So why not her? What's so special about Hinata?"

Although he was stunned by the shinobi's intuitiveness, Deidara kept his composure. "She's just too delicate," he remarked. "There'd be no fun in that."

"See, I can tell you're lying," Kiba said. "Hinata's a sweet and caring girl, but even she wouldn't give a second thought for a criminal like you. Which means for some odd reason she actually _likes _you. And I have a feeling that you never did anything to her because you like her too. And me? Well I don't like thinking any of this, but I have a bad feeling that I've hit the target dead-centre."

"You're just imagining it all."

"I wish I was. But you know what? I'm tired of secrets and all the rest of this bullshit. Give me a straight answer. Did anything happen between you and Hinata?"

"...You know what, Konoha-nin? I'll tell you this much. Firstly, you're a fucking tool if you think I'm really going to answer because of that high and mighty front you've put up. And secondly, nothing related to me is any of your business, so there's no chance I'm going to answer your question."

"I see."

Immediately he got up and left, which worried Deidara slightly. Had he somehow inadvertently given Kiba an answer? Ah well, it didn't matter. His entire body was sore, and now all he wanted to do was escape back into the peaceful land of sleep and dream of a certain blue-haired girl in a white dress and lavender cardigan.

So he did exactly just that.

* * *

"How much longer are we going to leave him there?"

"I think it'll only take another day or two. If not then Deidara will just have to suck it up and stay in there for longer."

"Hahaha! I can't wait to rub this in that bastard's face when he's back here!"

"I'm worried about senpai...he's going to be mad at us when he gets back."

"It's all worth it. It's _his _partner we're getting revenge for. He really shouldn't be too upset over it."

"Everyone, settle down!"

All eyes moved to the leader of the Akatsuki. "From the information I've received from Konoha, it sounds like it won't be that long before Deidara's back with us. And then our revenge will be complete."

* * *

**A/N: **Oh my word.

Your reviews make me so happy! I mean really, I am so extremely flattered by all the positive comments this story is getting. It motivates me to keep on writing, and I can't thank you all enough for all the love.

I also can't believe we reached _eighty _reviews. Holy shit! My goal has shifted up to eighty-five now, so please do keep them coming!

Thanks for following the story and adding it to your favorites! And thanks for just _reading _this story and for enjoying it. I've started school so now I'm going to be busier then ever, what with internal assessments and college applications, but I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible for you guys. Until then!


	16. Chapter 16

Hinata's teeth sank into her bottom lip, and she twiddled her fingers together nervously as she followed her cousin down the darkened path towards the jail. The village was quiet around them – the only sounds came from their sandals scuffing against the hard ground. Occasionally a light breeze would gently blow past them, picking up leaves and grains of dust and urging them to flutter about around the shinobis' feet.

Although she was no stranger to Konoha after dark, today it felt like everything was different. The once safe and warm appearing houses looked menacing and deadly under the pale moonlight, and the shadows crossing the ground lurked ominously, as though they were waiting for her; waiting for her to make one false move, to take one wrong step...

"Are you okay?"

The loud and strong voice seemed so out of place that it nearly frightened her to death. Sighing, she placed a palm over her fluttering heart, as though it would somehow calm it down.

"I...I'm fine," she said, offering Neji a small smile. A sceptical look remained on his face, however, as he was totally unconvinced.

"Are you sure?" he pressed. He had slowed his pace so that he was beside her now, where he could watch her closely and see every reaction of hers.

"Really," she insisted. "I'm just a bit nervous, that's all. Afraid. I don't know really. Everything feels so...strange. I can't help but feel like there's something lurking out there, watching us..." _You just have an overactive imagination, _she scolded herself.

"I _really _think this is a bad idea. I don't think it'll help you at all. We can go back right now if you want."

"I know you're worried about me, but don't be! I'm just being silly."

"Hinata..."

"Please?"

Exhaling loudly, he shook his head and led her to the jails. Never once had she been here before – well, she had never wanted to. Just the building's dirty and unpleasant-looking exterior was enough to keep any person away. Nobody wanted to know what the place was like inside. Their imaginations were enough.

A uniformed guard came running out through the entrance to meet them. He bowed down respectfully before silently beckoning them to follow him through the door. They obliged and walked slowly inside, giving Hinata a chance to take in her surroundings. They were in what appeared to be the guard's little break room. Hanging on one of the walls was a multitude of keys under small numbered labels. She wasn't sure what the numbers meant; possibly they could correspond to a prisoner or a cell number. Either way, she noticed that he removed a set of keys from the last hook, which was the only one holding more than one set.

"Why so many keys?" she murmured, not realising that she had spoken aloud until the guard answered her question.

"There are different keys for his shackles," he said. "Precautionary measures."

She nodded and absentmindedly followed him and Neji through another door to where all the cells were. All around her were cells much like the one she had been kept in; cells full of sleeping prisoners who snored loudly and called out to nonexistent beings. The odd person was awake here and there, sitting quietly in corners or whispering things to themselves in the dark.

Hinata shivered. Not because she was cold – the air in here was hold and stifling, tinged with the smell of sweat and other odours. No, it was because when she looked at these people curled up on the floors or leaning against the bars, she found that she knew exactly how they felt. Trapped in cramped, dirty conditions, and sitting around wishing for nothing more than freedom. Even though her captivity had been something completely different, she still felt a sort of empathy towards these criminals.

_Does Deidara feel this way too? _she wondered as she bit down on her lip once again. _I guess he would, wouldn't he?_

"There we go," the guard said as he unlocked the bolt. The girl came back to reality; when had they reached this cell? Unlike the others it was a lone, solitary thing, a room behind a narrow wooden door. _He's been here all this time... _

"Alright, Hinata, let's go in," Neji said, moving towards the door.

"Um...I was hoping I would go in...alone."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"If...If facing him will help me...I have to do it alone." _I'm sorry I'm lying to you, Neji..._

"Okay, then. We'll wait out here for you. He's shackled up so he can't do anything to you, but if he even tries anything at all just scream. Understand?"

"I understand. Thank you."

The guard pulled the door open for her. Sucking in a deep breath and squeezing her eyes shut, she crossed over the threshold, keeping her eyes closed until she heard the _click_ of the door closing behind her.

Lifting her eyelids slowly, she was met by darkness. Moonlight seeped in through a small, barred window in the wall, and it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the poorly lit room. Deidara was easy to spot – a jet black mass seated below the window with glinting chains near his form. His head was bowed down, and she could hear his slow and even breathing. Was he asleep?

"...Deidara?"

She crouched down in front of him and tentatively reached out to brush his hair out of his face. His eyes were closed tightly, and there was a frown on his face. Even in his sleep he looked troubled. _They took away that thing on his eye_, she realised as she recalled the missing contraption.

"Deidara," she tried again. He groaned and lifted his head up, revealing the dark bruises that had blossomed on his face.

"Oh no," Hinata gasped, covering her hands with her mouth. "What happened to you?"

"...I'm dreaming again, aren't I?" he mumbled. He raised his head even higher to meet the girl's gaze, and looked her up and down.

"You're not dreaming," she said. Under his scrutinizing gaze her cheeks took on a bright pink tinge. He seemed to understand that she was indeed real and in front of him, yet he looked away and lowered his head once again.

"Why are you here?"

She could hear something behind his question, something like restrained emotion. But that didn't make sense. Why would he be holding himself back? "I...that doesn't matter. What happened to your face?"

"It's nothing," he said. "I've had worse."

He was completely unconvincing. Hinata bravely reached out to cup his chin in her hand and gently force it upwards. His hair fell away from his face and his eyes became visible, glowing with a luminosity that rivalled the light coming in through the window. His once clear cheeks were now painted with dark shades of purple, and somehow the girl knew that these weren't the only bruises there.

Pictures formed in her head of just how he might have gotten them, and she immediately snatched her hand away from his face. Deidara watched her curiously as she shrank back and squeezed her eyes shut. _It's my fault that he's hurt, _she thought, rocking back and forth on her heels. _If he hadn't been stuck in here this wouldn't have happened. Why is he hurt? Who did this to him? What else have they done to him? If we're supposed to be the good guys then what justifies this?_

"...Hey...are you okay?"

Although she couldn't see anything she could hear the clinking of his shackles as he attempted to move closer to her. However, the harshly whispered curses that came out of his mouth told her that he had failed.

"Come on, don't look like that."

"I'm fine," she said, rubbing her eyes with the bottoms of her palms.

"No you're not," he said. "...You're a horrible actress. I guess I should've taught you some of my skills, huh?"

The tone he spoke with was no longer restrained. Instead he seemed to sound...playful? Moving her hands away, she looked up at him. He was leaning in towards her as much as he could, the corners of his lips tilted upwards in a joking grin. What was going on? Was he trying to make her feel better? She was the reason he was in this mess, she was the reason he was hurt and yet he could still smile at her?

The walls came down all at once, and without realising what she was doing she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and burying her face in his chest. He felt his heart stutter in response, and he was frozen in place, half-wanting to pull her in even tighter and half-wanting to just push her away and save himself the agony of letting her go.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed as tears streamed down her face and soaked into his clothes. "I'm so sorry!"

"Eh?!" The contact was excruciating and his body ached with renewed pain, yet even so he allowed her to cling on to him. Unsure of how to react, he awkwardly wrapped his arm around her as much as he could, and placed his hand on her head, soothingly stroking her hair. "Come on, Hinata, don't cry."

"But...but look at you!"

"This is exactly what I deserve. Remember, we would've probably ended up doing a whole lot worse to you than this. In fact, you had your fair share of bruises and bumps already. Who knows what would've happened to you if you had remained with us."

"_You _didn't do anything," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "_You didn't do anything at all_. And look what happened to you."

She didn't say anything; instead she moved out of his grasp and sat up straight, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.

"I don't know why you visited me Hinata, but you should go," he told her, slowly moving backwards and leaning against the wall once more. His body ached thoroughly now – it would be a while before it faded. "I'm guessing your friends don't like the fact that you're in here." He could see the worry in her eyes and sighed. It seemed like she would need more convincing. "Besides, I was in the middle of a really nice sleep. What time is it anyway?"

"Sometime past midnight," Hinata replied. "I just...I had to make sure you were alright."

"Now come on, you shouldn't be thinking about me," he said. "You're back home with all your friends and family. They deserve your attention, not the guy who helped keep you away from them. Even if he is incredibly handsome, and an amazing artist." His joking words brought no humorous reaction from her – rather, they caused her to become even more serious.

"I'm not joking, Deidara; you shouldn't be in here." Her eyes locked with his, and he could see the intensity burning behind the words she spoke. "It's because of you that your friends didn't hurt me badly, because of you that I managed to survive both physically and mentally. If they hadn't chosen you to guard me, if you hadn't been there...You're not just someone I can forget. You're not someone I'm _willing _to forget." Her eyes lit up as an idea popped into her head. "Maybe I can get you out of here some way!"

"Lower your voice!" he hissed as the sound of footsteps and hushed voices echoed in the hallway outside. Her words were bouncing around in his ears, teasing him and tormenting him with their underlying messages. "You can't let people hear you say things like that. We're back in the real world now, remember? Things aren't that easy here. I'm _fine _being stuck in here, so don't do anything to jeopardize yourself."

"I can't just leave you –"

"You can, and you will! If anyone heard you, they'd think you were insane! And believe me, trying to get your kidnapper out of jail rather than keeping him locked up isn't going to help you at all. I'm not letting you screw things up for yourself just because you want to help me."

"Deidara, I want to do this!"

"And I don't want you to!"

Reaching out, the chains gave him enough leeway to just be able to grab her hand. Gripping her folded hands tightly in his own, he tried to communicate what he didn't want to say aloud. "Please, Hinata," he begged as the voices grew louder. "Don't do anything. Look, I can't say much, but I have my own way of getting out. So just keep away!"

Before she knew it she was back on her feet and he was against the wall once more, a bored expression fixed on his face. The door swung open behind her, and the guard and Neji stood in the doorway.

"Sorry, Hinata, but we really need to go now," he said, shooting a glare at the blonde on the ground. "I hope that was enough time for you."

"...It was."

She followed the two out, and the door slammed shut behind them. Sighing, he slumped further against the wall, ignoring the throbbing in his cheeks and stomach. _Damn it, Zetsu, you guys had better get me out of here soon. Before Hinata goes and does something stupid._

* * *

"She visited him?"

"Last night," Zetsu said.

"Yes!" Hidan pumped his fist into the air, a large smirk forming on his face. "These Konoha-nin make it way too easy for us."

He burst into a bout of maniacal laughter which echoed around the room and in the ears of the rest of the Akatsuki. Growing tired of the sound, Kakuzu slammed his palm against Hidan's mouth.

"Shut up," he growled, retracting his hand when the silver-haired man attempted to bite it. "This is helpful, but it's no guarantee that everything's going to go off without a hitch."

The two began to bitterly argue with each other, becoming the focus of the room for a few minutes. For a while it proved to be entertaining; however, by the time Kakuzu was reaching for his pockets and threatening to decapitate his partner, everyone had had enough.

"Get a room, you two," Kisame groaned from the seat across them. "No-one wants to hear your bickering."

This remark caused him to get into the argument, and a few seconds later the three of them were all yelling and shouting insults at each other.

"Quiet down," Pein said. Immediately the room fell silent, and all eyes turned to him. "I know you're tired of waiting. I can't say my own feelings aren't too far off. But the time is close now. We only need to wait a little bit longer. After all, everything's falling into place exactly the way it should."

* * *

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

"Quiet down, won't you?!"

"Do you really expect me to be quiet?! I can't believe you took her to see him! Why would you do that?!"

"Because she askedme to! If you were in my position you would've done the exact same thing."

"No I wouldn't have!"

Kiba groaned and raked a hand through his hair, unable to accept what Neji had done. When the Hyuuga had shown up at his house in the early morning while he was in the middle of breakfast, he had not expected to be told this.

Why the hell had Neji taken her to see him?! Just because Hinata asked it didn't mean that he should've just accepted it! _If I was able to see something was off, he should've been able to do the same!_

"I told you because I thought you might want to know, not to get chewed out by you," the Hyuuga said. "I didn't think you would've had any objections about it. Hinata said she needed to face him. Would you have had me ignore what she wanted and keep her locked up in her room?"

"...No," Kiba sighed resignedly. "I just wish you would have told me before you said yes."

"Why? It wouldn't have made a difference."

"Yes it would have."

"What?" A light clicked in Neji's head, and he fixed Kiba with a piercing stare. "Kiba, what exactly are you hiding from me?"

Deciding he had no other choice, Kiba recounted his solo meeting with Deidara to his comrade. He told him about all of his suspicions in the beginning, and about how he had tried to follow them up with Hinata. Then he had approached the blonde, and well, his reluctance to talk was more than enough of an indication that Kiba's fears hadn't been unfounded.

"Wait a second, you're telling me that something happened between them?"

"That's what I'm guessing. When you think about, the idea's not as farfetched as you'd believe in the beginning. I mean, he was so determined to make his point that he didn't harm her. And the way she's been keeping what happened a secret. I understand that it's not the kind of thing people want to talk about, but she hasn't said a single word. And then she asks to go visit him. You see what I'm getting at, don't you?"

Although Neji was definitely surprised by what he had just heard, Kiba realised that there was something else on the Hyuuga's face. Something like realisation?

"Did you know about this?" he asked suspiciously.

"What? No, that's not it," Neji replied. "It's just...something I overheard."

"What are you talking about? Were you listening in on them when she visited him?"

"That wasn't my intention in the beginning! I just wanted to keep close and make sure she was okay. Another guard showed up to chat with the one who took us in, so I figured it was safe for me to keep close to the cell without Hinata knowing."

"And? What did you hear?"

"Before you make any assumptions, I'm not completely sure that I heard this correctly. The door's really thick, and I had to keep away from that small opening in the top so they wouldn't see me. But it sounded like she was apologizing to him –"

"She was doing _what_?!"

"Just listen! That's not all that I heard. I think she wants to get him out of there."

"...You heard wrong."

"Are you sure about that? Because I'm not even sure, yet something tells me I'm not wrong."

Kiba wanted to keep on denying this claim. His mind refused to accept that something like that could have even happened. Neji must have heard something else. Something completely different. That had to be it.

"Are you sure?" he finally asked after a minute of silence.

"Yes, I'm positive," Neji answered. "If I heard anything, then that was it."

"What did she think she was going to do? Ask Tsunade to just let him out? Like it's really that easy."

"The conversation never actually got that far."

"I don't understand."

"You see, this is where your story comes into play and makes everything click together. When she said this to him, he refused her offer. He told her not to do anything at all. To 'protect herself' or something like that."

"...You're joking."

"I'm not. I would've tried to listen to more, but then the guard came back and told me that we had to leave. Why do you think I didn't just reject your ideas straight away? I'm here telling you that you're probably right."

"I didn't realise being right would suck so hard."

Neither shinobi said a word, both of them stuck in deep contemplation. _What do we do? _Kiba wondered, looking around as though the answer to this question would pop out of thin air. _Are we supposed to confront her? Confront him? Do we tell Tsunade-sama? Agh, damn it, why didn't Hinata just talk to us about this?!_

"Well, go on Hyuuga, got any bright ideas?" Kiba inquired. "I've been the one doing all the brainwork until now. I think it's about time you gave it a shot, don't you?"

"Is it really so much work for you to actually think for once?" Neji retorted. "I don't want Hinata to find out I was eavesdropping, but I guess there's not much of a choice now, is there? There's no other way to approach this. We could still be wrong about this entire thing, and I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being kept in the dark."

"Are you kidding? I've been dying to find out the truth. Let's go talk to Hinata."

* * *

**A/N: **And thus concludes today's chapter! I really can't believe how long this story has been going on, it's actually been _three months. _I'm amazed! :D

So we're at 89 reviews, and that means my aim now is 100! Help me get to that landmark? :)

As always, thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites! It's always nice to know people are enjoying this story.

Until the next chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

The afternoon sky was thick was dark clouds that hovered threateningly above village, completely blocking out any hint of sunlight. Small droplets of water splashed about Neji and Kiba as they stalked down the streets of Konoha, their feet sloshing through the shallow puddles that were littered across the ground. They zigzagged their way through pedestrians, although this was no simple feat - the walkers were desperate to get out of the rain, and would slam into those around them if needed. Even so the boys continued without complaint. Neji was looking around the area with his Byakugan while Kiba fed Akamaru some treats he had bought him just moments ago.

"Have you found her yet?" the Inuzuka asked casually, as though they were looking for Hinata to have a simple chat and not to interrogate her.

After a few seconds of silence he got his answer. "She's at the training grounds," Neji said. He changed directions to the path on his right, and Kiba followed with Akamaru lazily padding along behind him, munching on his treats.

The two shinobi had spent most of the morning at the Inuzuka's house, planning out just exactly how they were going to approach Hinata and what they were going to say to her. After all, how could you just go up to someone and ask them whether or not they had had a romantic liaison with the person who had kidnapped them? It would need tact, but just how tactfully could one do this? Their close bond to the girl certainly didn't help matters, as both were hesitant to even go to her with this. Yet even so they plotted and planned, but their time had been wasted - neither of the two had been able to come up with a way to delicately approach the topic. So they had decided to be completely blunt with the girl. If they expected her to be honest with them, it was only fair that they did the same, wasn't it?

With this in mind, they paid a visit to the Hyuuga compound, assuming that they would find her there. When they found her room empty and no sign of her anywhere else around the manor they had immediately begun to panic - what if she had gone to Tsunade in order to plead for Deidara's release? Didn't she realise how that would make her look? What about the suspicions that would arise from those who overheard? They had sprinted off to the Hokage tower determined to stop her, but just as they had reached the doors and were about to barge inside Kiba had noticed that her scent was nowhere near the place.

"Where the hell could she have gone?!" Kiba had groaned, raking a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Let's look around the village," Neji suggested.

And so they did just that. Relying on Neji's eyes, they had scoured the streets of Konoha. It wasn't long before they figured out where she had gone.

"Is she actually back on that training regime already?" Kiba asked as they strode towards the training grounds. The rain poured heavily on their heads now, but by now both had given up on staying dry. With the ease of the unconcerned they continued through the storm as though it was nothing. "I thought she had agreed to take some time off."

"She's not doing anything," his comrade replied. "She's just…sitting there."

"She's just _sitting_ in the rain? What on earth for?"

The Hyuuga shut off his Byakugan and took in a deep breath . "I don't know," he said, exhaling loudly. "Maybe she just wanted some peace and quiet. After her visit to the jails last night it seems like she's had a lot on her mind."

"Usually people discuss their troubles with their friends. I wish she'd just come and talk to us, you know?"

"I don't think these particular troubles are something she wants anyone to know about."

"…That shouldn't matter. We're always going to be friends, no matter what happens."

"But look at the way you've reacted to all of this. If you had heard it from her instead of figuring it out on your own, would you have seen the situation differently?"

Kiba's cheeks took on a red tinge and he looked away. "I guess…I don't know. The whole thing is just so messed up. _Seriously _messed up."

_It must hurt a lot more for you, _Neji mused, but he did not speak these thoughts aloud. The Inuzuka's romantic feelings for his cousin were probably making this situation tougher for him to deal with. Even if he wasn't actually aware of them. _I should talk to him about that later. My guess is he'll need someone to talk to just as much as he thinks Hinata needs someone right now._

"Come on, let's hurry up. I don't want her disappearing on us again."

They hurried off to the training grounds with a newfound determination. In the end it didn't matter - she wasn't going anywhere. Even though the downpour was soaking her to the bone, plastering her hair and clothes down and muddying the ground around her, she remained cross-legged in the middle of the grassy field, staring into the shadows between the trees. It was as though she was in another world completely.

Exchanging a look, neither shinobi was sure of what to do. Finally Kiba sighed. "I'll go get her. Hinata!" he yelled out, pulling off his jacket. Leaving Akamaru with Neji beneath the shelter of a cluster of trees, he ran over to her and covered her head with his jacket, shielding her from the rain.

Dazed, she blinked once, twice, before she realised what was going on. Droplets of water streamed down her face, and she wiped them away with a wet sleeve.

"K-kiba?" she stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. Come on, let's get out of the rain."

Although confused, she followed his orders and ran with him to the shelter of trees. Even though the rain was lessened beneath the branches, it didn't matter much anymore. They were already drenched.

Hinata spotted Neji standing beside the trunk of a tree, his arms folded against his chest and Kiba's large white dog seated beside him. "Neji? And Akamaru, too. What's going on? Did something happen?"

"It's nothing like that," Neji said. His calm tone soothed her nerves, but only for the few seconds before her friends looked at each other, silently agreeing to reveal their true intentions. "Hinata, we want us to tell you what happened between you and Deidara."

"Huh?"

Patiently awaiting her answer, they remained silent as she fumbled around for words that twisted and tripped over her tongue, things she wanted to say yet refused to come out. Of all the things she had been expecting them to say, this had definitely not been one of them.

"I told you guys what happened," she finally choked out. Dread began to rise within her when she realised that the expressions on their faces were anything than belief. No, they were waiting for her to say something completely different. Kiba was biting his lip incredibly hard. He looked like he wanted to speak, but he was holding himself back. "When I came back. I told everyone…" she trailed off, her voice failing her. It didn't sound nearly as convincing as she wanted it to. Not anymore.

"…Lies," her cousin stated, surprising her. "Or rather, you hid the truth. Hinata, I was listening to you when we were outside that man's cell. From what I overheard, I'm really glad that listening was all I did. You want to _help_ _your kidnapper get out of jail_." He stressed the words and carefully watched her face, studying her reaction. "The way you spoke to him -"

"You were l-listening to us?!" she exclaimed. Her face flushed a deep cherry red, and all of a sudden she could no longer hold his gaze.

"There was no choice," he said. "I just wanted to make sure that he didn't try to screw with your head, to make sure that you were okay. I never would've dreamed of hearing what I heard. Can't you just tell us the truth already? We want to help you!"

"I…erm…I…" Once again words failed her. She wanted to be honest with them. Keeping secrets wasn't an easy task - it was tiring and wearisome and it had never been her strength.

But how was she supposed to tell them this? If the truth would only hurt them, why shouldn't she keep on lying? Not to mention that this truth would probably change their view of her forever. After all, what kind of straight-laced girl goes and falls for a criminal, especially one who had helped in her abduction? They wouldn't understand. Nobody would be able to understand.

Frustrated with her lack of speech, Kiba decided it was his turn to speak. "Hinata," he said, drawing her attention to him. "You're my best friend. You know that. I'm always here for you. I'll always be here for you. When you disappeared, there wasn't a moment that I didn't stop looking for you. None of us stopped looking. But ever since we found you, you've been different. The Hinata I knew would have never kept secrets from her friends. She wore her heart out on her sleeve for everyone to see. So why are you hiding from us?"

She said nothing, so he continued. "I've had my suspicions of what happened while you were gone. Everyone's had ideas, but I'm the only one who actually followed mine through. Fucking hell, Hinata, he _told_ me he didn't hurt you. He was so damn insistent on it, too. Tried to make some pathetic excuses, but that didn't fool me. And there was the old lady in the old house, then you were keeping secrets, and suddenly you want to visit him right out of nowhere. Then what do I hear? That you want to help him get out of there. That you're _defending_ the guy. We're not fools, Hinata. Connecting the dots wasn't a problem. But I've still let myself doubt, convinced myself that I was wrong, but you know what? I was right! You _like _the man. And he likes you. And something did happen between you two. Something you refuse to talk about, which means it's all the more unthinkable. Damn it, just tell me the truth! _Please._"

He broke her.

"Okay," she whispered.

She rested her gaze on the ground, unable to face them as she spoke. Her tale began right from the time she arrived at the mansion. She left no detail out as she recalled her days in the cell, those times where she lost track of the world outside, where everything else had ceased to exist. Telling them about her journey with Deidara was the hardest part; she avoided looking up as she recollected caring for him while he was sick, talking to him in the old woman's house, kissing him in the inn…her story was a hard one to tell, but she told them anyways. Even if it would cause them pain, it couldn't be worse than the pain she had heard in Kiba's voice.

When she was finished, the only sound in her ears was the pitter patter of the rain against the leaves above them. It had lessened into a weak drizzle and now fell to the earth harmlessly. Her eyes remained focused on the blades of grass surrounding her feet and the dark, wet soil beneath them. She was waiting for them to say something, anything, but they were taking so long to do it, torturing her with their silence. They needed time, though. What she had just told them couldn't be easy to take in. _What are they thinking? _She asked herself, digging her nails into her palm. _Please please please let them understand. I don't want them to hate me, to think I'm crazy, oh hell maybe I shouldn't have even said anything, I should've just kept my mouth shut…_

Although her worries were bubbling up inside of her, she kept control of them just long enough to glance up at her comrades and check just how her words had affected them. Neji seemed just as he always did - cool, calm and collected. He had put up a mask, one she couldn't see past. Kiba, however, was much easier to read. He didn't look mortified, or outraged, or horrified like she had assumed he would. No, instead he looked…resigned. It was like her story had brought him sorrow rather than any of these emotions. Out of all the things she had expected, this hadn't been it.

…_It would've been easier if he had been mad._

"…Holy hell, Hinata," Neji said, breaking the silence. "I…I don't even know what to say. I still don't completely understand how that all happened."

"That's o-okay!" she replied hurriedly. "I just…are you mad?"

"Mad?" Even though he had taken his time to think after her story, he still had to consider her question. "…No. Well, not at _you_ anyway. But it sounds to me like that bastard took advantage of you. He's the one whose limbs I want to rip off."

"N-no, no, you don't understand, it wasn't either of our choices! Neither of us _chose_ for it to happen! It just did."

"I don't know…"

"He's locked up in there because of _me_, Neji! Do you understand why I have to get him out? He protected me, he helped me!"

"Hinata, do you understand that he is a wanted criminal? He's murdered countless people, and not to mention he's a member of the Akatsuki! They'll never consider releasing him! You're only a small part of his imprisonment."

"But -"

"But what?! Do you think somehow you can still convince them to let him out? What, do you think that they'll actually listen to you, and that you and him can go and live happily ever after? Don't be unreasonable!"

"I just want to help him -"

"And doom yourself in the process. Hinata, if you even try to help him get out, do you know what's going to happen to you? People talk, and I'm telling you, the things that they say aren't going be good. I know you feel some sort of obligation to him, like you owe him, but you don't. Right, Kiba?"

Both Hyuugas looked toward the Inuzuka, who hadn't said a word the entire time. He stared at them with a blank expression on his face and shrugged. "I don't think she owes him anything…but I doubt that she'll listen to us now." His tone was tired, like he had been drained of all energy. If Neji noticed, he certainly didn't acknowledge it.

"She has to listen to us," he said firmly. "This will stay between the three of us, okay? I know you told him you'd help him get out, but I'm not going to let you do a thing. He's a criminal, and he's right where he should be, no matter how bad you feel about it."

"Neji, you don't unders -"

"I don't need to understand anything. Just because a bad person shows one act of kindness, it doesn't erase all the bad things they've done in the past. Whether or not he was nice to you, he's getting what he deserved. You'll just have to forget about all that he did. Forget about him. Don't screw up things for yourself for the sake of the likes of him, okay?"

"…Alright. I won't do anything."

_I hope Deidara will forgive me…it looks like right now I can't help him after all._

* * *

Whistling as he walked, the guard continued his rounds outside the jails of Konoha, ignoring the barking and yelling he could hear going on inside. _Thank heavens it's my turn outside tonight,_ he thought, looking up at the cloud-filled sky. It was much more peaceful here, with only the grass and the trees to keep him company. The moon peeked out between the dull grey clouds, casting its pale light over the jail and its surrounding area. In the jails it was a completely different matter - the rowdy inmates thoroughly enjoyed causing chaos and discord as much as they possible could. Normally he had to deal with their antics, but not tonight. No, tonight was his night to relax and just enjoy the stars. At least, he would have enjoyed them if he could see them. The damn clouds were in the way.

_It's better than nothing, _he told himself, turning left to walk along the walls of the jail. He reached out to brush his fingers against the cold stone exterior, feeling every crevice and bump in the rock beneath his fingertips. He'd spent two years at his post, guarding this prison and making sure it stood in one piece. It was a lot more crowded than it used to be, and a heck of a lot more chaotic, especially because of the new prisoner from the Akatsuki. Double the guard and the watches, the higher ups had told the jail officials. Make sure to keep an eye on those keys, and the building itself. You never know who might appear in the night.

It was clear they were afraid of a breakout, but that was impossible. The guards had done exactly as they were told - they had tightened security around the prison and its perimeter, and as well as this there was always a pair of eyes on the blonde prisoner's cell. It's not like he can do much, the guards had snickered. He was completely chained up. And the Akatsuki would be hard-pressed getting past their security. The guards were full of confidence; they had no doubt they could do their job, no matter what worries the higher-ups had.

So the guard continued his slow pace around the building, enjoying the slight breeze that blew past him and played with his hair. Once he reached the front of the building, he took a few steps forward and then turned to look it up and down and admire it.

Instead of seeing the structure he had grown so accustomed to, he saw something he hadn't expected at all, something that made his heart skip a beat. Where he was meant to see stone walls and a solid wooden door, instead he saw small strips of paper with the same jet black symbol on them. They covered the prison completely, turning it into some sort of paper fortification. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a flash of blue, possibly even indigo, yet when he turned to yell out there was no-one there.

Cursing, he shifted his attention back to the building. "What the hell is going on?!" he exclaimed, running closer to get a good look at the papers. When he was right in front of the walls and could see the symbol clearly, it was only then that he realised just exactly what he was dealing with. "Fuck!"

He started to run, but he wasn't fast enough to outrun the explosions.

* * *

"What the hell?"

Deidara could hear explosions all around him, and he could feel his cell shaking as each one took place with a louder roar than the one before, but he couldn't see a damn thing! A thick cloud of smoke and dust was drifting in through the windows of his cell, blinding him completely and lessening his oxygen supply. Occasionally bursts of flame would also seep through, but luckily for Deidara the door did not set alight. What was going on out there?! Was somebody throwing explosive tags at the prison? The walls were shaking violently, and small rounded stones were falling from the ceiling all around him, some even catching him on the head or the arm. The door to his cell was bulging inward now - splintered and cracked, yet still holding strong. _It's falling apart! I have to get out of here! _He thought in alarm, struggling against the restraints that held him in place. But the links were strong and unyielding, and try as he might, there was no way of breaking them.

_Fucking hell! _He cursed inwardly. Giving up with a groan of defeat, he leaned back on the shaking wall behind him. _In the end it's going to be an explosion that kills me, huh? Isn't that ironic._

He closed his eyes and allowed a picture to float into his head, that of the blue-haired girl with the shy smile and pale lavender eyes. If he was going to die, he might as well at least enjoy his last few moments. The loud thundering of the explosion rang through his ears, and every so often he would feel a wave of heat, and then his face would be splashed with more smoke and grit. Beneath him the earth shook angrily, cracking the stone floors and weakening the walls. If the end was coming, it was certainly taking his time. But that was fine by the artist - he certainly wasn't in any rush.

He waited. And waited. And waited.

Yet the rumbling ceased, the earth stilled, the orange glow burning through his eyelids dulled to a thick gray, and Deidara was still very much alive.

Cautiously, he covered his mouth with his hand and opened his eyes just a slit to see what had happened. His door had been blown backwards by one of the blasts and was hanging by its hinges, limp and nearly cracked in two. Soot and ash swirled in the air, hiding most of the wreckage from Deidara's eyes. It seemed like the explosions had ended, although he certainly wasn't going to risk going out and checking. It wasn't like he could, anyway; he was still stuck to that damn wall.

Coughing and spluttering to get rid of all the dirt trapped in his mouth, he almost missed the large black shadow that emerged from the dark mists.

"Who the fuck -" he started, stopping when he recognized the black cloak with red clouds the man was donning. "…_Kisame?!"_

"Well, well, I'd love to get a picture of this moment," the blue-skinned man said, a mocking smile spreading across his face. "Give me a second to enjoy the sight of you in chains."

"Shut up and get me out of these things!" the blonde yelled in a tone that was a mixture of anger and relief.

A few seconds later Kisame did just that, swiping through the chains as though they were made of string. Deidara stood up and rubbed his wrists where the manacles had been. They had left deep red marks on his skin, as well as around his ankles too. But they didn't pain him so much as his muscles did. It had been a long time since he had even stood up - the artist couldn't even walk two feet now without wobbling. His comrade noticed this and let out a loud guffaw that bounced around the walls of the room.

"C'mon, we have to go," he said, moving out the doorway. "Keep up if you can."

Deidara did the best that he could, half walking and half wobbling out of the room, all the while ignoring the soreness of his muscles. What he saw outside his cell astounded him. The rest of the prison had been completely reduced to rubble and ashes, with absolutely nothing left standing but the four walls behind him. "What the hell did you all do?" he breathed. Moving through the rubble was no easy task for him, especially with the astounding amount of burnt corpses littered about the grounds. The bodies were singed black and completely beyond recognition - nothing new to the blonde, of course. But to the village of Konoha it would be one hell of a sight.

"Tobi stuck a bunch of explosive tags on the place while Itachi dealt with the guards," Kisame explained as he easily picked his way across the debris. "We didn't put any tags near your cell though; that's the reason why it's still standing. Getting them there was easier than I expected - those eyes of Itachi's are fucking strong. Are you going to thank him later?"

"Never. What was your job, then?"

"Wow, you're grateful, aren't you? I was just here in case anything went wrong. And nothing did."

"Alright, I get it, a simple but brilliant plan. Whatever. Now can you stop taking your time, damn it?! We have to get out of here! You must've woken up the entire city with that racket. Where are Itachi and Tobi now?"

"Tobi's waiting for us at a meet-up spot, and Itachi's busy finishing up the rest of his work."

"What work could he possibly have? You killed _everyone_."

"You'll find out soon enough."

Rolling his eyes, Deidara followed the grinning shark, enjoying the sweet taste of freedom once again. He could move, he could walk - wait, where the hell was his clay?! As if he had read his mind, Kisame reached under his cloak and pulled out two thick black bags teeming with clay.

"We thought you still might want these," he said. He carelessly tossed them back to the blonde, who caught them with excitement. "And don't forget this." The small metal scope that was usually on his eye flew towards him, and he shifted the clay in his arms so that it landed right on top of the bag.

"Brilliant," he grinned. Attaching the heavy load to his belt, he found a newfound strength within him, one that wiped out all the aches and pains in his muscles. Once he was finished putting the contraption for his eye back in place, he was rushing Kisame along onto a clear path. "Come on, let's get moving! You don't want to waste moonlight."

"They must've terribly scarred you if you're this eager to get out," the man teased, gracing Deidara with his large toothy smirk.

"Are you kidding? I've been stuck in that cell for over a week. All I want is to take a fucking bath and blow some shit up."

As the ruins disappeared behind them, Deidara allowed himself one last look back.

_Goodbye, Hinata._

* * *

**A/N: **And so ends Chapter 17!_  
_

Thank you for following this story and for adding it to your favorites, for reading it and for reviewing it, and for enjoying it. You guys are awesome. :)

Until Chapter 18! ~


	18. Chapter 18

The girl rolled over onto her side, her dark blue hair splayed across her face, tickling her cheeks and shielding her eyes from the glow of the candle at her bedside. She nestled her head deeper into her pillow and allowed her eyelids to droop once more, determined that this time she would finally sleep. Yet even when her eyes were shut tight and nothing but darkness was in her head, her wish was not granted. Her once soft mattress bulged with non-existent lumps and was rough beneath her skin, her blankets which had been so warm and comfortable were now hot and stifling, and her skin tingled as hundreds of imaginary spiders crawled on her skin.

Sighing, she rolled onto her stomach and buried her hands beneath her in another attempt to find a comfortable position. This had gone on all night. It must've been well past midnight by now, but Hinata wasn't sure. If she went to check the time she'd wake up completely, and she was so close to sleep, she had to be. But then again, that was what she had thought hours ago before all of her tossing and turning had begun.

_There's just too much on my mind, _she mused in annoyance, allowing her eyes to open once more. _Even though I try to keep these things out of my mind, they're still there, lurking around the corner just waiting to pounce…_ She knew that maybe if she let herself think about them, sleep would elude her no more. But she was still unwilling, and for good reason, too. After all, nobody wanted to think about the devastation that had taken place just the night before. Especially her.

The thunder had rumbled throughout the entire village, awakening every sleeping soul and catching the attention of all those who had been busy enjoying the night. It had been so peaceful just moments before. Nobody had been expecting the roaring sound that drowned out everything else. When they heard it, many thought it was just the sound of an oncoming storm. Hinata had certainly thought so. If she hadn't gotten up to look out her window, she would have missed the orange glow and thick black plume of smoke in the distance that told her this was no thunderstorm.

Hurriedly dressing, she rushed down the stairs and past the gates of the compound, which were, oddly enough, deserted. She found Neji already on the way there, and together they ran in the direction of the fire. Each step filled her with dread - even from a distance she could see the flames growing in the distance, hovering threateningly over treetops and bursting outward with each explosion. Each gust of wind brought ash and bits of char along with it, and they caressed her face and hands as she pushed her legs forward faster and faster.

They weren't the first to arrive at the burning structure; the people who had arrived first were in a frenzy, lugging buckets of water and tossing them over the fire while others doused the building using water-based jutsu. Yet the fire's intensity only grew, and even from a distance Hinata and Neji were blasted by the heat. The sky had turned black above their heads, the moon and stars hidden from sight by the thick plumes of smoke from the fire. The cousins set out to help the villagers with their work, attacking the flames with cold streams of water and handfuls of dirt and mud. At one point they had gotten the scare of their lives when a burning figure lurched out of the fire and towards them, carrying the stench of blood and roasting meat along with him. Panicked, many dropped their buckets and stopped what they were doing to stare at this ever-nearing figure. It was only the attack of one of the braver shinobi that knocked him to the floor and put him out. It was too late by then, however, and death came upon him quickly.

Almost an hour when the last of the flames had died down at last, a select group of people were chosen to sort through the charred ruins. Everything was completely burnt up; almost nothing and no-one had survived the fire, except for one lucky guard who had been outside when the explosions took place. They found him just a few feet away from the building hidden beneath the shadows of the surrounding trees. He was badly burnt and unconscious, but he was breathing. The medic-nins arrived about then, and ushered him away quickly on a stretcher.

Hinata and Neji were given the task of searching through the debris for any sign of the cause of the destruction, and they were also given the more gruesome work of tossing the remains of prisoners and guards alike into a pile of bones and tangled limbs. As they got closer and closer to where Deidara's cell had once stood, the girl's heart was stuck in her throat, and she couldn't swallow it back down. She didn't want to go to that place, to find a black, ashy corpse that could only belong to him. She didn't want him to be dead. Yet deep down she know he had to be; there was no way he could've escaped that fire. He was practically chained to the walls of his cell. By now he'd be nothing more than a pile of cinders on the floor.

Yet the cell turned out to be the only part of the prison that hadn't crumbled to pieces, or been too badly burnt. It remained mostly intact, with the exception of large bits of rubble littering the floor from where the roof had caved in, and scorch marks on the walls and floor. The shackles he had once been held in were lying under a large slab of stone, open and completely useless. Unlike she had feared, there were no ashes, no corpse, no sign of him at all.

"The bastard escaped!" her cousin had cursed, angrily smashing a foot down onto the slab. "And he destroyed the entire prison just to do it!" The villagers were so full of rage that nobody noticed Hinata was the only one who wasn't saying a word. _He's alive. He's free. He's safe, not burnt up here like the rest, not another corpse to throw into the pile. _

But at what cost? All the guards and prisoners were dead. They had been swallowed whole by the fire. Innocent men who had merely been doing their duty of keeping criminals behind bars and criminals who didn't deserve such untimely deaths. They would never see the sun again, never feel the wind on their face or the grass beneath their toes. They were gone. When the girl looked closely at the people around her, past the anger and shock, there were tears. Hundreds of tears, streaming down the faces of men, women and children alike, people whose family, friends and spouses had been so cruelly taken away from them. Yes, Deidara was gone, but why had his freedom cost the lives of so many?

_I should be mad at him. _She moved out of the cell and went back to the debris, although by now it was clear that he must have had outside help. _I'm terrible. So many people died and yet I can't feel the same anguish everyone else is feeling. I'm just glad he's alive and out of here. He caused all of it, though. All of this chaos. He's a murderer, that's what he does, and I should want to kill him, yet I don't feel that. Why don't I feel it?_

She knew why, but she certainly wasn't going to acknowledge the reason.

The Hokage appeared soon after, and she wasted no time in sending out trackers to search the village's perimeter and find the man. "I want that bastard back here, dead of alive!" she had yelled, receiving passionate cries of agreement from her people. "I won't let this go unpunished!"

"Hinata, go back home," her cousin said finally, when they had moved the last of the corpses. If anyone had a clue about how she felt, it would most certainly be him. He had been watching her since they left the cell, searching her eyes for the feelings she was bottling up inside, hiding from the people around. "If they find him, you don't want to be here."

She had considered arguing, but then thought the better of it. He was right. There was no telling what she would say or do if they did find him, or what she would have to witness. _"I won't let this go unpunished!" I don't want to be here to see what she'll do. I mean, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a punishment, he killed these people! Or at least, him and his helpers. But…I can't face that. Dear lord, what have I become? There was a time where I would've seen nothing but evil in this man. And now… _She let the thought trail off and began the journey home.

That had been last night. The morning had come and gone with no news from the tracker, and no re-captured criminals. The Akatsuki member was nowhere to be found. The search parties had come back tired and grumbling, and with not a single lead, Neji had told her. He had joined up with them just a few hours after they set out along with a few other members of his clan, yet even with their eyes the situation was simply impossible to improve. Tsunade had taken up personal treatment of the lone survivor with the hopes that he would wake up soon and be able to explain what happened. Kiba continued scouring the woods long after everyone else had returned, yet even his lone search gave no success. And Hinata had been ordered to stay at home by both her father and her cousin, for two different reasons entirely. The former didn't want her getting in people's way or mucking anything up, and the latter felt she was too closely involved with the situation. He still didn't understand. Even though she had explained it to him, told him every single detail, he still couldn't see the reasoning behind her feelings. He carried the absurd notion that it had been nothing more than a lapse in judgment, and that with distance and time she would regain her senses once more. _Like it's that easy._

Even though Hinata had tried to pass the time through dozens of menial acts, the day still crawled by slowly as ever. She found herself wandering the grounds often, and caught strange looks from the guards of the gate as she passed by them. _Now that I think about it, where were they last night? _She wondered as she shifted beneath her bedsheets, recalling their absence. _Father would be angry to learn that they had just disappeared. It was probably just the quick break, though._

"There's no use in thinking about this now," she said aloud to the empty room. _No use in thinking about Deidara, the escape, the search, the guards, none of it. What will my thoughts do? My guilt isn't going to bring the dead back to life. Nor is it going to find him and bring him back here. _She was glad for that, too. She was glad that he had escaped, but after seeing the waste he had left behind, she didn't think she could face him again after this. Or could she? In the beginning, she had known he was a criminal. That he hurt people. That he killed people. Yet that hadn't stopped her from developing feelings for him. So what was different now?

_Nothing, _she realized. There was nothing different. That's what felt so strange, what was keeping her awake. She still felt the same away about him. Even after what he had done to those poor guards and even those criminals who might've been innocent, her feelings hadn't changed. _What's wrong with me?_

Lying there in the dimly lit room, she did not notice when she fell asleep, nor when she began to dream. Her mind was a mess of images and incoherent words, full of noise one moment and silent the next. The smell of smoke filled her nostrils, and a pair of blood-red eyes stared at her through the thick tendrils of fog that wrapped itself around her arms, stopping her completely, keeping her from chasing after the figure walking away, the figure with the long blonde hair and ponytail trailing along his neck. It wound its way around her neck and then her mouth, smothering her -

And then she was awake, buried completely beneath her bedsheets. Ripping them away, she gasped in the fresh air as deeply as she could, stopping only to let it out and take another deep breath once more. _What the hell was that? _She raised a hand to her forehead and wiped away the droplets of sweat that had formed beneath her bangs. The sunlight streaming through her window illuminated the room, making a mockery of the light of the nearly-finished candle. It had burnt down to a stub, barely able to stay alight anymore. Sighing, the girl dropped back onto her bed, and would've tried to analyze the pieces of her dream if a loud knocking on her door hadn't caught her attention.

"Yes?" she called out, lifting herself into a sitting position.

The door swung open and Neji entered the room, along with two guards who stared at her with a mixture of suspicion and doubt in their eyes. "Neji! What's going on?"

Hinata had never seen her cousin look more uncomfortable than he did now.

"Hinata…you've been summoned by the Hokage. She thinks…she thinks you have something to do with Deidara's escape."

* * *

"Another toast to our comrade returned home!"

The four Akatsuki members cheerfully slammed their wooden mugs together - well, all except for Itachi, who lazily met their mugs with his own, unable to enjoy the festivities as much as his comrades were enjoying them.

Deidara didn't care how the Uchiha acted though, this day was sweet and full of promise for him. After all, the birds were singing and the sun was shining, and most importantly, he was _free._

Over twenty-four hours they had walked, through grassy fields and thick forests, putting as much distance between them and Konoha as possible. In the beginning it had just been him and Kisame, and then they had met up with Tobi, and a few hours later Itachi had appeared out of nowhere, coming out of the shadows so stealthily that they nearly ended up attacking him out of surprise.

Halfway through the their journey the blonde was completely worn out. His muscles were sore from the lack of use, and more than once he had wanted to make a bird to fly on, but they would have none of that. It was too risky, he had to wait. But Tobi was happy to carry his senpai, if it would help. Although he didn't like the idea of being slung over the masked man's shoulder like some sort of damsel in distress, he agreed to it all the same. It turned out to be pretty comfortable, as well, and the rest of the trip was spent in silence so that they could conserve energy.

But now that the sun was rising and they were seated comfortable in the warm confines of a small roadside inn, with steaming plates of breakfast in front of them and all their weariness slipping away. They had paid for two rooms to share, but the occasion wasn't worthy of simple _sleep_. When they looked back to the damage they had done to Konoha, not even Itachi could dampen their spirits.

"It was brilliant!" Deidara found himself saying, the arms of his new cloak sliding down his forearm as he raised his drink to his mouth. There were red marks around his wrists where the shackles had continuously chafed his skin. They still stung, but felt much better than they had a day prior. "I have to admit, Tobi, you've learned well!"

"Thanks, Senpai!" Tobi exclaimed happily.

He sounded extremely pleased with himself. And why wouldn't he be? He had managed the amazing feat of covering the _entire _prison with explosive tags in no more than a few minutes, moving stealthily after the guard on patrol. Nobody could claim that wasn't an amazing feat. And, as it turned it, it had been entirely his idea.

"So, Deidara," Kisame said after chugging down the last of his drink. "I personally want to be the first to find out; how was the girl?"

"Eh?"

It was one simple question, yet it had managed to completely catch him off-guard. He felt his glee from before slowly drain away, leaving only suspicion and weariness behind.

"Don't play dumb! The Hyuuga girl." The blue-skinned man chuckled. "There were a lot of times where you two slept together. Well, in the same room, at least. Zetsu would never tell us everything that he saw."

"…What the hell are you talking about?"

Deidara's grip tightened around his mug, and his eyes narrowed. They weren't supposed to know about him and the girl. He had told no-one, and he certainly hadn't been planning to reveal it in the future. Yet here Kisame was talking about it as though he had been there, as though they had known the entire time…

"He doesn't know, remember?" Itachi said.

"Let me tell him!" Tobi almost yelled. He turned his whole body towards his partner and leaned forward, as though he was about to recite a story to a young child. "When Pein-sama chose you to guard Hinata-chan, he did it because you were the only one who she would feel comfortable with, and later on, fall in love with! And she's so pretty too, he knew you'd probably end up reciprocating her feelings. But that was okay because it'd make the whole thing more believable." He kept on talking, completely oblivious to the way his friend began to grind his teeth together, his knuckles turning whiter with each passing second. "When he sent you away to go traveling with her, he was only weaving his web even tighter! He made sure Zetsu watched you and reported each thing that happened. I was really happy for you, Senpai!"

"Even Zetsu wasn't able to see everything," Kisame sighed. "But our imaginations filled in the rest." He winked at the blonde, amused by his reddening face. "But anyways, getting her to fall for you was only part of the plan. The real part came into play when the Konoha-nin captured you. Think about it; she was supposed to return broken and tormented, but instead she appeared fine and normal, even though she refused to talk about what happened. Pein-sama knew she'd visit you eventually, and wouldn't that be suspicious? And then, finally, your grand escape! She was the last person to visit you, and she stayed in there for quiet a while. In fact, two of our spies infiltrated the prison and acted as guards for a while - long enough to spread the word about the insane things they heard through the door. They burnt up in the fire, but what does that matter? Gossip spreads quickly, especially when you have people fluttering around like birds and chirping to anyone who will listen. And Itachi's eyes were the finishing touch - he worked his magic on that one guard we let survive, and even those at the Hyuuga compound. Glimpses of blue hair, a young girl sneaking away into the night and right back in. Do you understand yet? They're all going to blame _her_! They'll think she let you out! Betrayed her own village for her kidnapper! Everything will come out after that, whether from her friends or our 'comrades' in the village, who knows. The village will be in complete discord already; can you imagine how they'll be after this? It'll be such chaos in there that picking up that Jinchuriki will be easy work! No-one will be expecting it, they'll all be too focused on the girl!"

"…Why didn't you tell me about this plan?" the blonde hissed, trying his hardest not to fling his mug at his comrade's face.

"It wouldn't have worked if you had known! As long as you stayed in the dark, it'd be more realistic for the girl. And besides, it was a lot more fun for the rest of us."

They could all see the vein popping out in Deidara's forehead, and watched in silence as he lifted himself off his chair and walked away without a word. His journey up the stairs and to his room felt as though it had taken years, and only when he was safely hidden away in the privacy of his room did he allow himself to scream out in frustration.

Why hadn't he realised what they had planned sooner? If he hadn't been so damn focused on his clay and on Hinata, would he have figured out what was going on? Or would he have remained uncaring of their plans, completely obsessed with the girl instead.

_Hinata… _He slammed a fist against the wall, picturing several faces at once in the faded wallpaper. The blow struck true and hard, and he cursed as his knuckles began to throb violently. The punch left a dent in the weak wall and the wallpaper began to slowly peel off. _Fucking hell. _She didn't deserve this. None of this had anything to do with her; it never had! Not from the beginning with Sasori's death, and certainly not now. Yet she was going to suffer anyways, and it was all his fault. If he had seen what they were scheming, if he had _known_, maybe he could have stopped it all from happening. Maybe he could have protected her.

But regret wouldn't help him now. What good would come out of mulling over what he could have done? _I can't even help her now, _he groaned inwardly, slumping onto his bed and resting his forehead on the base of his palm. He was already miles and miles away from the village, and it wouldn't help anyone if he suddenly went back there to proclaim Hinata's innocence. And who would listen anyway? They'd just toss him into whatever new cell they could come up with and her along with him. And besides, none of his teammates would let him do such a thing anyway. He knew he shouldn't even be thinking like this, that he should accept what the leader had planned, but that wasn't fair at all! They had known he would develop feelings for her; did they really think he would just accept what they had in store for her?! All of Konoha would be at her throat for his escape, and her relationship with him wouldn't help a single thing. _What if she blames me for all of this? _He thought suddenly. _What if she thinks that I was just stringing her along the entire time, that I never actually cared about her? _He couldn't even bear the thought. Just picturing the hurt look in those pale lavender eyes brought a wave of guilt crashing down on him.

"Oh, hell. What am I supposed to do?!"

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the late update, everyone! I've been really busy, but at last, here it is, and I hope you enjoyed Chapter 18!

Thanks for adding this story to your alerts and favorites, and a million thanks for reviewing. :D

I think this will continue about one or two chapters, and then it will be the end. I'm still sorting out the details, but I do believe at the most it will be another two chapters.

Until next time ~


	19. Chapter 19

Kiba paced outside the Hokage's tower irritably, each of his heavy steps leaving deep scuff marks in the dirt below. To his right a few of the Hyuuga guards stood speaking to each other in hushed tones, occasionally giving him the odd sideways glance. Yet still he kept moving over and over the same path with Akamaru trailing him carelessly, unburdened by the same troubles that were haunting his owner.

Both had been there to witness the fire, breathing in the chaos and death that thickened the air. People were in complete disorder, and it was only after the flames that things had calmed down enough for them to organize themselves. The Inuzuka had been chosen to lead one of the search parties, a task which he had accepted with great vigour. Nothing more would please him than to catch the blonde son-of-a-bitch and bring him back. _How did he do this? How far has he gotten? What if he's gone after Hinata? _The last thought was the most fearsome of them all, and a million scenarios had gone through his head, ending in the blonde either killing Hinata, or, for all Kiba knew, kissing her. A sickening notion, yet a possibility all the same. Every time he thought about the way she had described the criminal, the things she had felt for him, he felt an ache in his chest so strong that it had to be real. No imaginary pain could hurt so much. But it did. And he didn't want to think about why.

With Akamaru leading the way, his team had followed the scent of the escaped prisoner, but even with Konoha's best noses on the scent and trackers out in the field, nobody could seem to locate the man. They didn't know what trick he used to hide his path – he may have planned it out long in advance, or even gotten outside help. But for all they knew it could've just been the smoke, which was being spread out by the wind, deep into the forests and sticking to the leaves and trees in its path. Either way, he was nowhere to be seen.

The next day he had been sent out on another search outside Konoha. It had turned up the same results as before. They were at a dead end. At this point the only person who could give them even the smallest understanding was the surviving prison guard, who was still completely knocked out.

At least, that was what they had thought before two members of the Hyuuga plan had been seen going to talk to the Hokage during the late afternoon, members who hadn't been involved with the search at all, nor the fire. That one small and seemingly random meeting had brought to life a mass of rumours which spread through the village at lightning-speed. One assistant had overheard a part of the meeting while walking past a door that was slightly ajar, and he had told a colleague who told a friend who listened eagerly, which set off a chain of whispers and gossip, until all of Konoha was buzzing with the news that Hinata was suspected of releasing Deidara.

He didn't know the exact details of just why they suspected her, but he didn't want to hear them. He would catch snippets of people's conversations as he walked by, and most had been about the girl's oncoming interrogation, but he refused to listen. Not out of respect for his friend, nor out of denial, no, but out of fear that maybe, just maybe, there was some truth behind their words.

Kiba was never one to doubt his friends. He was a dedicated person whose loyalty knew no bounds, and when it came to Hinata, there was no other person he could be more loyal to. No matter what the situation, he would always trust in her, always believe in her. But even so he couldn't stop that niggling uncertainty that would come creeping up on him over and over and over again. _"Do you understand why I have to get him out? He protected me, he helped me!" _Even though she had agreed not to do or say anything, could she have changed her mind?

_That's impossible, you idiot, _he scolded himself. No matter how badly she wanted to help him, she would have never gone so far as to let the Akatsuki member burn down the entire prison and kill everyone inside. He had repeated this to himself a million times, but still, there was that doubt, that god damn doubt.

Neji emerged from the tower, and the Hyuuga guards immediately stopped speaking, turning to attention. But he ignored them and moved over to the Inuzuka, who had stopped pacing the moment he saw him.

"Well?" he asked, desperate for information. "What's going on?"

"To be honest, I'm not even sure at this point," the Hyuuga admitted. "I was only there long enough to hear Tsunade reciting the accusations to Hinata. Then they kicked me out."

Kiba was almost afraid to ask. All the previous day he had managed to avoid hearing things, but now he felt a burning desire for knowledge. "What were they?"

"The story goes that around an hour before the fire, the guards saw her sneaking out from the garden, with a bag stuffed full of small papers. They called out and tried to stop her, but she was gone. So they chased after her. And can you guess where they ended up?"

"The prison."

"Right. They lost her after that though, when they were trying to figure out whether to go up to her or go back and report the whole thing to Hiashi. They decided on the latter, and made their way back home. At least, they almost had, when the explosions began."

_And then they put two and two together. _"What did Hinata say?"

"That's the thing – she says she wasn't out at all. According to her before the whole explosion happened she had been in bed, asleep"

"If she was then why are these guys being taken seriously? Hinata arrived at the place when we all did, and she put just as much effort into fixing everything like the rest of us. And nobody else knows about _that_, so why would anyone be suspicious of her?"

"Don't forget that she did go to visit him. Anyone could've found out about that. And remember how secretive she's been? That certainly hasn't helped her."

"But I don't see how things could've escalated just from that!"

"Well, apparently the guards at the compound weren't the only people who saw her that night."

"Who else was there?"

"The prison guard who survived."

* * *

"You h-have to believe me, Tsunade-sama, I didn't do this!"

Hinata clasped her hands together to hide the small tremors running through her, yet even so, the older woman still saw them, just as she could see the anxiety in her eyes, and the deep marks her teeth had left in her bottom lip.

"Hinata, you do realise that the evidence against you is more than just circumstantial, right? Those two guards of yours said they saw you, and even more, so did Koishi."

If her heart could've possibly sunk any lower, it would have. Koishi. The prison guard who had somehow managed to survive the escape while all his comrades had perished. The man who had declared her guilty for a crime she didn't commit.

Tsunade had told her the story. The man had awoken the night before, his arm and cheek red and raw from the fire, and had told everyone who would listen the tale of the blue-haired girl he had seen, with the cold lavender eyes and wicked countenance. He had seen her before, too, oh yes, visiting the blonde prisoner not days before. He hadn't been close enough to hear the conversation, but she had certainly taken her sweet time in the cell. And the whole arrangement was meant to be a secret too! Now why would the girl be secretly visiting her captor? None of the guards knew, and it wasn't their place to ask. But now the prisoner was gone, and she was still here, and he swore he had seen her, seen her outside the prison right before it went up in flames. He had seen her hair blowing in the wind, the blue hair that he had seen before, and had gotten just a glimpse of her eyes before the world turned black. Cold, dead eyes that saw right through him .They had planned it, the two of them, they must have!

But she hadn't been anywhere near the prison when he said she was. She had been in bed, asleep with a head full of dreams. Why were both he and members of her own clan suddenly coming up with stories of her stealing away into the night? Something was going on, something she didn't understand, and certainly didn't like.

If that wasn't bad enough, rumours were spreading like wildfire, rumours about her and Deidara. She didn't know who was starting them or how they had gotten their information, and she certainly hadn't heard all of the gossip, but it had definitely surprised her to learn that some of them weren't so far from the truth of what had happened between the two. Koishi's memories didn't help matters much, either; they only spurred the whispers forward.

She was innocent, though. How could they believe she would break him out of prison? How could they believe that she would ever kill people from her own village in order to help a criminal escape? She would never betray her village like that. Yes, she had wanted to appeal to Tsunade for his release, but that was completely different, wasn't it? She would've been asking permission, getting them to let him go with no bloodshed, nothing of the sort. All she had wanted was for them to go easier on him, to understand that he had been kind, to see that he shouldn't be treated as badly as he had been. She had just wanted to help him.

But she had nothing to do with this. Why couldn't they see that?

"Tsunade-sama, y-you _know _me! I would never do this k-kind of thing, you know that!"

"Why won't you tell us then, Hinata? Tell us what happened while you were captive. Tell us why you visited him in the middle of the night. Can't you at least do that?"

"...I just wanted some answers." It wouldn't do her any good now, to tell them about everything. It would only give them more reason to believe the guards who were claiming she had started the fire. But her answer was unsatisfactory, and Tsunade sighed loudly.

"We all do, Hinata," the Hokage replied, her voice ringing with weariness. "However, you haven't been very honest with us as of late, and I can't just ignore what they're saying. Unless you have some way to disprove the evidence, I'm afraid I can't help you. I have no choice but to place you under house arrest with a full guard of ANBU until we finish examining the scene and are able to determine whether or not you truly are innocent."

"...But you believe me, don't you?"

If she could give Hinata anything at all, just the tiniest bit of reassurance that someone out there didn't think she was capable of such evil; she would be able to get through this. Yet Tsunade could not speak the reassuring words the girl needed to hear, and instead only told her to be patient, and that the ANBU would meet her outside.

Nodding meekly, it was all she could do not to burst into tears right there. What good would tears do her, anyway? They wouldn't magically prove that she was telling the truth. Instead she turned and walked out, knowing that at least downstairs she had Neji waiting for her. Someone she could lean on. Did he believe her though, or did he doubt her too, like the Hokage did? He certainly had more reason to than any of the villagers, yet he also had more reason to believe her as well.

The warmth of the sun was incredibly welcome to the girl once she emerged from the building, as were the faces of the two closest to her. "N-neji, I'm glad you're still here. And Kiba, you're here too?" She nodded respectfully to the guards beside her, who reciprocated the gesture stiffly before returning to their heated whispers.

"I heard you were being summoned today, so I thought I would be here for moral support," Kiba said, avoiding her eyes. "Though I didn't get to see you before you went in..."

"That's okay. I'm fine."

It wasn't entirely a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either. She gave him as wide a smile as she could, but it faded when she spied the ANBU heading towards her. "Oh. Right. I have to go back now. I guess I'll see you guys later."

"What's going on?" Kiba asked. His eyes narrowed, and Akamaru began to growl menacingly at the two masked men.

"...They have to watch me," Hinata said. "Tsunade-sama wants me to stay put back at home."

She could see how little the two men liked this notion, but they swallowed their grievances just as she did. "We'll come too," Neji told them. The masked men shrugged and waited for them to start walking, following from just a few feet behind. No-one said a word; they simply strode in silence towards the Hyuuga compound.

All through the entire journey Hinata could tell that people were watching her. They looked out of place, she knew, this odd little group of theirs, and so she couldn't blame them for gawking. Hinata knew it wasn't the group they were focused on, however. It was her. She could feel their burning stares; she could see the words on their lips. _Liar, _they said in harsh, biting tones. _Traitor. Liar. Betrayer. _She flinched with each word they threw at her. _Why would you do this? Aren't we your friends? Those prison guards were innocent. Why, Hinata?_

_But I didn't do anything, _she wanted to tell them. Time seemed to slow down as she moved, and she could see each one of them clearly, quieting as she passed Their faces were all different; faces of mourners, faces of onlookers, faces of those who were indifferent and faces of those who couldn't get enough. But their eyes were all the same, filled with accusations and suspicions. She lowered her own, preferring to watch her feet than the villagers.

"Hinata, are you okay?" She barely heard him. His voice had been drowned out by all the others raging in her head. But then she felt his hand on her shoulder and he brought her back to reality.

"I'm fine, Kiba," she mumbled. Clearing her throat, she repeated it louder. Who knew, maybe if she said it enough times it would actually be true. She glanced at him sideways, trying to read the expression on his face. It was clear he wanted to say more, but with their unwanted company it was better to say nothing.

He kept his mouth shut until they reached the compound, where even her own family avoided her like the plague, gracing her with only their furtive looks. _ Just keep on looking forward, _she told herself. The main complex was nearly empty; it was easy to get into her room without anyone interrupting. She didn't see her father anywhere, nor her sister. That was good. She had a picture in her head of how they would react to this news, and it wasn't pretty.

The two ANBU agreed they'd stay outside her room, and that there was no problem with her friends staying with her. Once they were inside, they were finally free to talk.

"Did he tell you?" Neji inquired as soon as the door was shut. "Did he give you any sign, any hint that he was planning to escape?"

"N-nothing," Hinata stammered. "Nothing at all."

"It must've been his friends," Kiba said. "They must've busted him out, and pinned it on Hinata. It's like this has all been some sick, twisted game to them. Hell, Hinata, you wanted to let him out, and then he escaped! Everyone's talking, and while he's free and happy as ever you're here taking the heat."

_He doesn't think I did it. _"But...he couldn't have known, he had no way –"

"Don't try to defend him!" the anger in his voice stopped her from continuing. "Can't you see what we see? Is it so hard to accept that he's not the nice guy you thought he was? We told you all along, he's evil, a sorry fucking excuse for a human."

"He's right," Neji agreed, nodding solemnly. "There's no point in focusing on him though, we have to figure out how they incriminated her. The most likely explanation is Itachi – his illusions, someone could easily mistake that them for reality. It's only a guess though..."

He continued listing his assumptions, but Hinata had stopped listening the moment she heard the faint echoes of chanting through the walls. The boys heard it too, as they stopped debating with each other and immediately joined the girl at the windowpane, where they had a clear view of the compound's gates, and the angry mob of people outside it. There were about twenty people there, give or take one or two. Kiba opened the window slightly, allowing a blast of air to fill the room, as well as all the shouting.

"SHE KILLED HIM!" a woman screamed over the mass, sporting a crazed look beneath eyes filled with tears. "WE WERE GOING TO GET MARRIED THIS SPRING, AND SHE KILLED HIM, JUST TO FREE THAT CRIMINAL, THE ONE WHO _KIDNAPPED_ HER!"

People had stopped to listen, and they yelled out together at the end of her speech. "WHY ISN'T SHE BEING PUNISHED?" someone else screeched. "WHAT KIND OF JUSTICE IS THIS? PUNISH HER! PUNISH HER!"

Others took up the cry, and soon they were all crying for her to be punished, to pay for what she did. These people were convinced she had set the fire, people who she had never met before in her life. Yet that didn't stop them from being convinced that she was guilty.

Kiba slammed the window down, shutting out the harsh words they threw at the young girl. "They're grieving. They just need someone to blame. Don't take it to heart."

"I won't," she told him. But the tears streaming down her cheeks betrayed her.

"Ah, hell." He pulled her into his arms, and she didn't resist. She merely sobbed into his chest as he held on to her, letting her thoughts whirl through her mind like a tornado. Could Deidara have really known about this? Would he really have allowed this to happen? Didn't he care about her at all?

Or was she holding onto something that had never been real?

* * *

"You all are the biggest bunch of assholes I ever met."

Itachi snorted derisively at that, but Kisame bristled from the insult. "Hey, don't forget it was these assholes who helped you get out!" he growled.

"I wouldn't have been there if you all had helped me not get caught in the first place!" Deidara yelled back. Well, technically it had been Zetsu who had abandoned him during his time of need, but that didn't matter. They were all guilty in one way or another. "I can't believe you guys used me like that, just for the sake of your fucking plan."

"Oh, boohoo! Suck it up and get over it already, we don't have time for your crying. It's almost nightfall, you've had enough time to rest, so let's get going already."

"Fuck you. I'll leave when I want to."

"Stop being such a drama queen!"

"I'LL ACT HOWEVER THE FUCK I WANT TO ACT, GOT IT?!"

Muttering angrily to himself, the blue-skinned man stormed out the small room. The Uchiha followed him shortly after, completely unaffected by what had just happened. Now it was just Deidara and Tobi in the room, and frankly the blonde couldn't have asked for a better situation. Tobi wouldn't bother him while he was in a bad mood, and he had a black cloud hovering above his head that only seemed to be growing larger and larger with each passing second.

A couple of hours after he had disappeared into his room his comrades had come up after him, figuring that by then he would've let go of his rage at being left out of the plan and essentially completely screwed over. But as soon as he saw their faces, all he had wanted to do was blow them up into smithereens, every last one of them.

_Hinata..._

She was on his mind, never leaving him, never ceasing to be there, staring at him with eyes of despair and fading away with each passing second. He wanted to reach out to her, to hold her, to tell her that he was sorry, and that everything would be okay, but the lie sounded weak even when he thought it. Nothing would be okay for her.

His partners wanted to leave the inn, to get back to their new headquarters as soon as possible, but he couldn't just abandon the girl like that. It was all because of him that she was in this mess, all because he had been too completely stupid to realise what had been going on.

He didn't know how he could help her. He wanted to, so badly, yet there was no possible way for him to do it. He had gone over all sorts of scenarios in his head, and none of them had had a positive outcome. It would be even worse for him if any of his comrades figured out what he was planning to do. They'd gut him like a fish!

But he still had to try, didn't he? He owed her that much. She didn't deserve to be shunned by her village, to take the fall for this. She was a good, sweet, kind, generous person who had wanted to help him in his hour of need. But now that the tables were turned, would she want his help? Or did she hate him for what he had done, for the fate he had left her to?

_Whether she wants me to or not, I will do whatever it takes to help her. _The determination he felt startled him. Never had he been so resolved to do something in his entire life. And never had anyone been so important to him as this girl, the girl who had been brought to him through the strangest of circumstances, the girl who he had fallen head over heels for. _Even if it means becoming a prisoner again, I'll do it for her. _The girl he had dreamt about. _She deserves so much more, but this is all I can give her. _The girl he had kissed. _I'll have to sneak out of here so that they don't find out. I'm going to get so much shit for messing up the plans, but you know what? Fuck them and their damn plan! Fuck the jinchuriki and revenge and everything else. They can come up with other ways of getting their shit done. They had no right to involve her in this, no right at all. _

"Senpai, what are you thinking about?" Tobi asked as he folded a small napkin into an origami hat.

"Nothing important," Deidara answered. Double-checking to make sure he had his clay and all the other necessities of life, he stood up and began to walk to the door, pausing only to look back at his partner. "If anyone asks, I'm taking a walk."

"Okay! What are you really doing, though?"

"I'm playing the hero."

* * *

**A/N: **The next chapter is the last! The grand finale! Look forward to it, my darling readers!

Thanks for adding this to your favorites and alerts, and thanks for your reviews and hopefully future reviews _-hint hint nudge nudge wink wink-_

I know, I know, I'm extremely subtle. ;)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all next time in Chapter 20!


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **That's right my lovelies, we've reached the final chapter!

Can I just say thank you to every one of you readers, those who have stuck with this story since its beginning and those who joined halfway through, and of course those of you who started it recently. Thanks for your wonderful and sweet and confidence-boosting reviews, thanks for adding this story to your alerts and your favorites, thanks for being so wonderful and awesome and amazing! If it wasn't 3am I'd be compiling a list of all you guys to put here but I have school in the morning so alas you must settle with this: (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ・。*。✧・゜゜・。✧。*・゜゜・✧。・゜゜・。*。・゜*✧

A big thanks to **Myosotis** for the cover of this story, the drawing is brilliant! ~

You guys have been so brilliant, honestly, I never thought this fic would go on for such a long time or be so lengthy, but we should always expect the unexpected, right? If I could hug you all right now I would but just give me a moment to grow arms that are long enough okay?

As **AnimexXxGoddess** requested I shall write an alternate ending to this story, one that will be shorter than this but hopefully just as satisfying. It'll be up within a week, hopefully. :]

So please enjoy the final chapter of **Prisoner**.

* * *

Sliding further down under her covers until she was enveloped by them completely, Hinata prayed that the voices would fade away and leave her alone. But even the thick sheets over her head were unable to stop them from seeping through to her. They battered her with angry yells and scornful remarks, leaving nothing left unsaid. All day and night they had remained outside the compound, refusing to give the Hyuuga clan any peace. Try as they might, her family had been unable to get them to leave; they had threatened, pleaded, and even bribed, but their efforts bore no results. You couldn't deter the determined. They wanted Hinata to answer for what she did – well, what they _thought_ she did – and they weren't going to give up until it happened. If anything, she wanted to tell them that she didn't do it, that she felt terrible about what had happened to their loved ones and wished just as strongly as they did that it had never happened. But they wouldn't listen. They had already made up their minds.

She could only imagine how the rest of her family felt. She hadn't seen any of them since being locked in her room and effectively entering house arrest the day before, not even her father. While she had received visits from teammates and teachers who wanted her to know they believed her in her, her family had stayed silent on the matter. Hinata couldn't blame them; this entire situation had brought shame to her clan, a shame that could only be wiped away if they could prove her innocence. But even that seemed far from likely.

Her friends had told her to have hope. "We'll do whatever we can to help you," Naruto and Sakura had promised. "They just don't know you like we do," Kurenai had said, with Shino nodding his head beside her. "They want someone to blame, and you're right here, easy pickings." Yet their words had rung hollow in her ears, and they comforted her no more than her blankets protected her now.

_It's midday, and I'm hiding out in my bed, _she sighed mentally. _I should be doing something, anything, but there's nothing to be done here! _Her comrades had promised to help her, yet how could they possibly do that? Deidara was long gone, and had taken the secret of his escape with him. The guards still stuck to their tales of treason in the night. She wanted to hope, to have faith in those who cared about her, but she couldn't even muster up a single spark, not while the chants outside grew louder and stronger with each passing moment.

Not for the first time, she let her thoughts slip back to the blonde who had gotten her into this mess, the blonde boy with the shackles on his wrists and the bruises covering his body. The boy she had tended to when he was feverish, who she had spoken too about matters close to her heart, who had been kind to her when it made no difference to him but all the difference in the world to her. The boy she had travelled with, the boy she had kissed...had it all been one great big lie? _But he cared about you, _a small voice whispered. _He told you not to do anything to help him because he didn't want you to get in any trouble. _Now that she thought back to their conversation in the cold cell, she realised that he had plainly told her he was going to escape. _"I have my own ways of getting out,"_ he has said. That meant he must have known his comrades were going to come for him. But had he been aware of their plans to incriminate Hinata in their place? _He couldn't have known...he wouldn't have let that happen to you. He cared about you!_

_But what if he had known? _Hinata asked the voice. It didn't respond. She wasn't sure whether to sh should acknowledge its words or listen to her own jumbled thoughts. Instead she decided to stop thinking completely and leave her mini-fortress beneath the bed sheets, which had grown hot and stuffy. Tossing them away from her head she emerged completely, swung her legs over the side of the bed and took a deep breath. Her lungs filled with the cool air, and she slowly exhaled, savouring every bit of it.

It only took one glance through her window to see that mob was still there, although they appeared calmer than before. Even so, she was still unsettled by the sight. She tried to look at the sky and admire the clouds, yet from the corner of her eyes the figures still moved, and she spotted the occasional angry gesture every few seconds.

"Maybe if I lie right there there..." she murmured to herself thoughtfully, eyeing a spot on the ground beside the window. Sliding onto the ground, she lay on her back and looked up past the glass once more. _That's better, _she thought happily. She had a perfect view of the sky and could avoid the crowd for a while longer.

The last time they had seen her standing by her window it had sent them into a crazed frenzy. One person had even tried to hurl a rock at her, but the building was too far from the gates and his throw too weak. A mere moment later he had been detained and hauled off cursing by two of the Hyuuga guards. That hadn't stopped her from snapping the curtains shut in terror. _Now that I think about it, where did they even take him? _She wondered, watching a particularly large cloud break up into a dozen different pieces.

A loud knocking on her door brought her back to reality, and she sat up just as her father entered the room. He wore a stern expression on his face, and the atmosphere he brought in was cold and unforgiving. Hinata nearly tripped over her feet trying to get up, but she regained her balance and bowed respectfully. When she had straightened, Hiashi began to speak.

"You've tainted the entire clan with your actions," he said. "How could you have been so foolish?" His tone held a mixture of bitterness and rage that stung the girl deep. "What in your right mind made you want to release the fiend?"

_It's nice to see you too, father. _For a moment she didn't know what to say. "...Y-you think I'm guilty?"

"Of course. There's no reason to think otherwise."

She flinched. "But I didn't do it."

"Don't start this – I've heard just about every defense for you possible, but in the end there are still witnesses. Who did you think I would believe?"

"I w-was hoping you'd believe me."

"Then you should've been wiser. Even more people have gone to Tsunade since then claiming they saw you that night, through their windows as you were running through the shadows and slinking about alleyways."

"They have?" This was news to her. If she had thought things were hopeless before, what possible chance would she have now? "But I wasn't there, I didn't do it!"

He fixed her with a cold stare. "What reason would they have to say you did, then?"

"I don't know..."

"Remember, two of those people are members of our own clan, they would not lie to me."

"I'm not lying!"

"They are my trusted guards –"

"But I'm your daughter!"

She didn't realise she had yelled out the words until a deafening silence filled the room. Hiashi folded his arms across his chest, and although his eyes did not betray a single thought, the throbbing vein on his forehead did. Her face flushed red, and she looked down at her feet, unable to meet his gaze. She wasn't going to take it back, though. What reason did he have to be angry? She _was_ his daughter, for heaven's sake! Didn't that mean anything to him?

"No daughter of mine would lie to my face, nor would she dishonour our clan as you have. You're a disgrace, a memory that will be best left forgotten."

He swiftly exited the room before she could say another word, slamming the door loudly behind him. She heard a click as the ANBU outside locked it, and bit down on her lip so hard that she drew blood. He had given up on her. Her own father. Well, it actually looked like he had never had any faith in her from the beginning, but she had hoped that maybe he would support her for once. That wish was dead. _My own family is abandoning me now. Neji's the only one who still believes in me, but what if he goes away too?_

The mob outside started screaming and shouting, and she realised she was the cause of it. They had spied her again, and even though they couldn't see her completely, her mere shadow was able to antagonize them. She plopped back onto the ground so that she was protected by her walls once more, and drew her knees to her chest.

She was a prisoner in her own home, trapped between livid strangers on one side of her and a clan that was ashamed of her on another. Wasn't there anyway she could just get away from it all? All the hate, the anger, the blame, everything? This wasn't the first time she had thought about escaping, climbing out the window and scaling the walls just as her accusers claimed she had done before. And then what? Where would she go? Every one of the villagers loathed her with a passion. One false step and they'd either ship her back to the compound looking guiltier than ever, or they'd kill her themselves as 'justice.' There was no way she could leave and expect to get out unharmed.

At this point she would've welcomed the presence of anyone of her friends, someone who would reassure her that things would turn out alright. But what good would comforting words do? Would they make everyone understand that she had had nothing to do with the breakout? Would they revive the dead, restore the prison to what it used to be? Would they bring Deidara back?

Wrapping her arms tightly around her legs, she rested her forehead on her knees and squeezed her eyes shut.

_What's going to happen to me now?_

* * *

_One two three four one two three four._

He was running as fast as he could, twisting left and right as he avoided trees and rocks and all the other obstacles that threatened to block his path. The air was thick with the earthy smells of the forest, of the soil and the flowers all around him, and occasionally bushes and leaves rustled as small animals moved around within their tiny homes. They would poke their heads out and stare at him curiously before fleeing in terror as he bounded towards them without hesitation. Rays of sunlight slipped through the branches of the tall trees surrounding him, illuminating everything they touched. He didn't notice any of it, however. Nothing was more important to him now then getting to Hinata.

_One two three four one two three four._

Deidara counted every step he took, knowing that each one brought him closer to Konoha, closer to her. Well, that and farther away from his comrades, who were probably giving chase to him. When he hadn't returned to the inn after his 'walk' they must have figured out that he was gone. They would've wrung the truth out of Tobi, the damn weakling. But that didn't matter at the moment. He had a head start on them; he'd have long since arrived at his destination whenever they caught up. What he really needed to think about now was what the hell he was going to do once he got to the village.

He'd gone over it a million times in his head during his endless walk, and even more during the short hours of sleep he had managed to enjoy before continuing on his way. A million different scenarios had been envisioned, and all of them had ended in the exact same way: complete and utter failure.

_One two three four...what am I going to do? _Talking to them was certainly out of the question, and was far too simple for his tastes. _Those Konoha-nin won't believe a single word that comes out of my mouth. Not to mention they'd probably think even worse of Hinata if I started to defend her...If I could get to those two Hyuuga guards Itachi messed around with, maybe I could make them realise it was just an illusion...But then how the hell would I even do that?! They get one look at me, figure out who I am and off goes my head. Maybe I could force those villagers to listen by threatening them. I have my clay back; I could easily make a couple of birds and – no, damn it, that's such a stupid idea! This is _not_ the time for any explosions! Antagonizing them isn't going to do me any good!_

He leapt over the twisted root of a large, gnarled tree and swung to the left. He was getting closer now. It wouldn't be long before he was there, and he still hadn't come up with anything useful. _Doubtless they're keeping Hinata under close watch somewhere. _Just the thought of it was enough to make him grind his teeth. _Why do these fools have to be so fucking gullible? If I can find her and just talk to her, maybe we can think of a way to help her. _

Yet still there was that chance that she didn't want to see him at all, that she hated him for what he had done, that she thought he was a liar and a snake and wished for nothing more than his death. _Stop scaring yourself. You know she's not like that. _His inner voice was right. The sweet, outspoken girl would never think such violent things. And definitely not about him. Right?

Even now he still didn't understand how he could have let this happen. He should've known about his comrade's plans right from the start, he should have realised what they were planning the moment they sent him down to that mansion's basement. They should have told him. He didn't like being used like that. It left a bitter taste in his mouth every time he thought about it. Grudgingly, he knew he had to acknowledge the fact that it _was_ a smart plan, yet that didn't mean he had to like it. Maybe if he had been included in it, if he had known all the details, things would've been different. Maybe he would've never developed an attachment to the girl, and wouldn't be storming through bushes and dirt to save her from the doom they had designed.

_..._No. It would've been exactly the same.

_Crack._

What was that? He looked to his right, but there was no sign of where the sound came from. Slowly turning back he continued running. It had sounded like a twig snapping...

_Someone's here! _Whirling around, Deidara swung to the side just as a kunai came whistling past his head and embedded itself in the tree beside him. Its thrower, a leaf shinobi with two red markings on his cheeks, sat upon the back of an incredibly large dog. The beast bared its teeth at the blonde, a low growl sounding from the back of his throat. He could feel the yellowish bruises covering his skin throb in response to the man's presence. _That's the one who interrogated me. Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit! _He hadn't realised he had gotten so close to Konoha. There would be men crawling about everywhere! Why hadn't he taken note of his surroundings sooner?

"Ten miles from the village," Kiba said, sliding off Akamaru. "How is it that you're just _ten miles _from the village, and I didn't find you until now?"

The blonde said nothing. He only flexed his fingers, measuring the distance between his hand and the pouches resting at his side. Kiba was twirling another kunai in his hand now, glaring at his opponent with such intensity he could practically feel two holes being burned into his head. The distance between them was only a few feet. It would be easy for the Konoha-nin to leap forward and drive the small blade right into his chest. But the Inuzuka stayed where he was, and, instead of attacking, he spoke.

"If your hand moves any closer to that bag of clay I won't hesitate to kill you where you stand." The blonde didn't move his hand away, but he certainly didn't move it any closer, either. "Why are you here?"

"Guess I missed the scenery," Deiadra replied sarcastically. "Although I didn't get to see much through that cell window." _I should kill him where he's standing. If I can distract him long enough to get my clay out..._

"Don't fuck with me," the other man snarled. "I've been coming out to these woods trying to track you down ever since you escaped, and this is the first time I've been able to catch your scent. You covered up your getaway well."

"Going to start a fan club for me?" _Come on, look away, attack, do something! Give me an opening!_

"Why are you back here?"

"Just thought I'd stop by and say hello."

"Bullshit."

"Obviously."

Kiba's eyes narrowed, and his fingers tightened around the kunai. "I should take you back with me right now and throw you at Tsunade's feet, and watch you grovel for mercy. I could even just kill you right here and get it over with." He threw the weapon in the air and caught it expertly. "But if I did that none of my questions would be answered."

"I'm happy to see you care so much about my wellbeing."

"Believe me, I don't give a rat's ass about your wellbeing. I want to know why the hell you people framed Hinata for your escape."

_He knows? _"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't try to deny it! I know you set up those witnesses, and that fire, even if nobody else will believe it. Damn it, do you realise what you've done to her?! She told us about you two, you know. She told us every single thing. And you doomed her to certain death! How the hell could you do that?!"

"...I still don't know what you're talking about."

"ANSWER ME!"

He lunged at Deidara with the kunai, but the blonde was ready for it, and he grabbed Kiba's arm before he could reach him and twisted it around, forcing him to drop the weapon. Quickly he struck the Inuzuka's cheek, sending him staggering a few feet back. But still the man was persistent, and he shot forward once more, this time aiming a furious fist at the blonde's face. _He's too reckless. _Ducking low and sweeping at the shinobi's feet with his leg, Deidara tripped his foe. There he was reaching for the clay resting upon his hips, but before he could even brush his fingertips against the pouch the dog was there, snapping and snarling at him. He leapt onto the artist and knocked him face-first into the ground. With a mouth full of dirt and an aching head, Deidara struggled to get out from under the crushing weight of the dog on top of him, but it was too strong.

"Tell me, why did you choose Hinata?!" Kiba ordered the dog to move so that he could shove the Akatsuki member onto his back. "Everyone thinks she's guilty for a crime she didn't commit! She wanted to help you, and you threw it in her face! How could you betray her?!"

"She's delusional," he spat, coughing loudly. "I don't know what she told you, but everything I did was just a part of the plan. There was nothing between us." Even if she had told them the truth, he could still deny it. It was her word against his.

"Don't lie to me! It didn't work the first time and it isn't working now." Kiba scowled and ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the brown locks. "Fucking hell...even if I take you there right now, it won't do any good for her! They already think you're accomplices; no matter what you say or what I make you say it won't change a thing. They'll say you're lying, they'll say she's lying, and it'll end with two bodies instead of one. I don't give a damn about what happens to you, but right now she's standing at the edge of a precipice, and I'm not going to let her fall."

Deidara felt his blood run cold. So that was it? They all believed she was guilty. Pein's plan had worked out perfectly. And according to this Konoha-nin, he could do nothing to help her. Sooner or later they would sentence her to die, and that would be the end of it. He couldn't help her now. She had been doomed the moment the first explosion took place. Yet to give up without trying...it just felt wrong.

"...I didn't know," the blonde admitted, moving his gaze to the leafy sky above them. "They didn't tell me a thing. All they said was that I'd escape."

He was granted with a sceptical stare. "You're telling the truth now?"

"Why not? You've been begging for it since the moment you first punched me."

"You're incredibly irritating. Honestly, I have no idea why Hinata fell for you." Kiba made the statement so scornfully that the other couldn't help but put two and two together.

"You're jealous! You like her and she likes me, and that's why you've been on my case this entire time!" Deidara burst out laughing. It felt good, so he laughed even louder, drowning out every other sound with that of his amusement. "Holy shit. I stole her right out from under your nose. Ha!"

"It's great that you can laugh about this, considering the situation she's in now," the Konoha-nin remarked sarcastically. "You never deserved any of the kindness she showed you. You didn't deserve her. I've been with her all this time...she's helped me grow just as much as I've helped her. She's beautiful, sweet, shy, compassionate...who _wouldn't_ fall for her?"

"Yet I'm the one who got her! Funny, isn't it?"

"It's not funny at all."

"Well you can have her, now. It's likely she hates me anyway."

"You say it like you don't give a damn about her, but you can cut the crap. I remember how you acted in that cell. You hated the idea that we even thought you ever hurt her."

"And you hate the idea that I've ever touched her. But in the end this whole thing is still all my fault. I was the perfect pawn. Perfect, I enjoy being, but a pawn is another matter completely. She should have never visited me. She shouldn't have tried to help me."

"She did, though. And now you owe her."

"Why do you think I came back? I was going to try to help her." He snorted derisively. "If only I had known just how useless it would be."

"You came alone?"

"Do you think the other members of the Akatsuki would come to assist me in foiling their own plan?"

"They wouldn't. But I will."

_Is he implying what I think he's implying? _"What do you have in mind?"

Kiba sighed and placed his hand on Akamaru's head, scratching the dog between the ears. "There's one way we can save Hinata, one that I didn't even consider until you showed up. I don't like it, but it's the only option we have. You owe her, remember? You don't have any other choice but to go along with me."

It took the blonde less than a heartbeat to consider.

"I'll do it."

* * *

_Tap tap tap._

The noise rung right though Hinata's head, bringing her back from the recesses of her dreams to the darkness of her room. Blinking, she slowly sat up and allowed her eyes to get used to the dim light seeping in through a slit in her curtains. _Tap tap tap._

_There's someone at the door. _At this time of night? She had gone to sleep before the sun had set, but she knew it couldn't be past midnight. Why would someone possibly come to visit her now? She stood sleepily, swaying slightly in the night gown she wore. Through her door she could hear people speaking – it sounded oddly like an argument. The voices raised even louder, and she considered just going back to sleep when the door clicked and swung open, revealing Kiba and Neji, and her ANBU patrol behind them.

"Were you asleep?" Kiba asked, taking in the revealing clothing she wore. Blushing furiously, she was only able to nod, wrapping her arms around herself protectively.

"I can't believe you forgot we were going to train in the clearing tonight," Neji said. _We were meant to train tonight? _What was he talking about? They had never planned anything. "I didn't think I would have to remind you."

"I don't exactly..." she trailed off when she noticed that the Inuzuka was mouthing something towards her, the guards behind him completely oblivious. _Just go along with it, _his lips said. "O-oh! I'm so sorry, it slipped my mind completely!"

Even though their faces were hidden behind their masks, she knew the ANBU couldn't like the sound of this. "She's under house arrest, remember?" one said. "She can't leave."

"It's just to get some work done," Neji told them. "You can feel free to tag along. Whether you like it or not, she's coming with us. We'll leave the back way so that none of those rioters out there sees a thing."

The guards looked at each other. They seemed uncertain of what to do. _They must be new_, Hinata realised. _Any seasoned ANBU would never even think about letting me out. Not for a minute. Neji must know that. _ "...We really can't let her out. Take it up with Tsunade."

"Tsunade already knows about this! Do you really think so little of me that I wouldn't ask for her permission? Tell you what, why don't you go wake her up and ask her about it? I'm sure she'd love to listen to your whining, especially if she's been drinking. In fact, I'll come with you! I'd really love to see what she does to you two."

_He's lying right through his teeth and they can't tell. _They simply stood in place uneasily, shifting their weight from one foot to the other. His cousin bit her lip nervously, wondering if it would work, if they would call his bluff.

"We'll tag along with you," the taller one finally said. "As long as she promises not to give us any trouble. This place had better not be too far from here."

"Fine. It's a short jog away, nothing worry about. Hinata, get dressed and meet us in the gardens. And wear something thick; it's cold outside."

They shut the door behind them when they left. It didn't take Hinata long to slip out of her nightgown and pull on a thick, tight pair of pants and a vest, shirt and then her usual hoodie. She sat back down, donned a pair of boots and tugged on the laces as though her life depended on the knots being as tight as possible. _Neji, Kiba, what are you two scheming? Are you trying to help me somehow? _How would lying about an intended training session do her any good?

Still, she finished up and met them in the gardens just as they had told her to do, making sure to keep as quiet as possible while she navigated her way through the building's corridors. Everyone was asleep, but all the same she felt like their eyes were following her through the doors she passed. But no-one stirred, and once she was outside she was able to breathe again.

She spotted Kiba waving at her from the wall to her right, and she stealthily moved towards it, noticing that it wasn't nearly as cold as Neji had made it sound like. _Are we going to climb the wall?! _It certainly looked that way – her cousin had already begun to scale it. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again when her comrade put a finger to his lips. Not here, not now. Outside.

Nodding, she watched the first ANBU guard go up, then she was next, fumbling at the stones and moving slowly upwards until she was seated on the top and clambering over to the other side. She dropped to the ground with a soft _thud_ and scanned the area anxiously. Nothing moved except the leaves on the trees and the grass around her feet that swayed with each slight breeze. Another two thuds followed her own, and then they were running, getting as far away from the compound as they possibly could before anyone came wandering around and spotted them.

Five minutes later their pace slowed, and Kiba chuckled breathlessly. "That was a workout on its own," he commented. "Getting back in will probably be harder – we'd better get this session done with quickly. Right, Neji?"

"Right," the Hyuuga said, slipping his hands into his pockets, which looked oddly full.

"So just where is this clearing –" The ANBU stopped in the middle of his sentence when he saw the small black balls Neji was drawing from his clothes. "Hey, what are tho–?!" Before he could say any more, the balls were on the ground, and Kiba had pulled Hinata to him, and was dragging her away, yelling at her to pick up the pace and run with him, to ignore the shocked men behind them.

_Hisssssssssss._

The night's quiet was completely broken by the sound of smoke seeping out from the balls at a pace one could have only imagined. Immediately her vision was blocked by a barrier of white that stung her eyes and constricted her throat. She would've fallen to the ground had her friend not have been holding her arm, keeping her upright and moving.

And then the smoke was gone and tears were streaming from her aching eyes as they raced through the night and between the trees, moving in a direction she knew would lead them out of the village.

"Kiba," she croaked, coughing in an attempt to clear her throat. It worked, although a faint ache remained. "What's going on?!"

"Neji will keep them off, but I don't know how long he'll be able to," he told her. He never once faltered in his steps, yet all the while she was stumbling over things she couldn't see and rubbing her eyes to get rid of the tears.

"What do you mean? Tell me what's happening!"

"Just follow me."

So she stayed quiet, whether for seconds, minutes or even hours, she didn't know, until they reached a small stream running through the undergrowth, at which he stopped and let go of her. "What's going on?" she asked once again. As if in response, a shadow came out of the dark and into the pale moonlight.

_Deidara._

He took one step closer, and another, and then suddenly she was in his arms, being clutched tightly to his chest by a pair of strong arms that she had missed so much. Her arms wound around his torso just as firmly, and she pressed herself against him even more, unwilling to let even the smallest of gaps come between them. She could feel his heart beat against her chest, his breath against her ear, and she had never felt so at home as she did there in his clutch. He was there, he was there, he had come back for her! She looked up at him, drinking in the sight of him like a cup of warm, sweet tea that she had gone years without tasting. The scope was missing from his eye still, his hair was messy, and his clothes were dishevelled and covered in dirt, but somehow she didn't see any of it. She only saw him.

"Deidara," she began to say, when his lips came down onto hers.

His fingers entwined themselves in her hair and her own moved to rest on the sides of his face, her thumbs caressing his jaw as the kiss deepened. Then her arms were around his neck and she was drawing him in completely. He broke away for a second to gaze into her eyes, and in them she could see her own face reflected, radiant with the light of the blue fire that danced around it. And then once again they were kissing. Their lips moved against each other as quick as lightning, leaving no part untouched, devouring each other as though it was the last chance they had.

Finally when Kiba coughed in irritation they remembered that they weren't alone. They broke away from each other, both breathing heavily and Hinata so red that it was a miracle steam wasn't rising from her head.

"Hell, get a room you guys," he said. Voices echoed in the distance, indecipherable shouts and yells. "I'd better get back there." He stepped towards Hinata and laid a hand on her head. "...You know I want you to be happy. And for some reason, the happiest I've seen you in these past weeks was right now, with him. So I think I just might be doing the right thing."

"What do you mean?" she asked. Instead of answering, he simply ruffled her hair.

"Neji wanted to say bye, too, but it just wasn't possible. We'll see you again soon, though. One day soon. We'll come and find you. And you." He looked at the blonde. "If you mess this up or get her hurt, I'll hunt you down myself and feed you to Akamaru."

And then he was gone, leaving her alone with Deidara. He gave her a small smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him as everything started to click into place.

"I'm here to save you."

"Eh?"

His grin grew even wider, but it faded just as quickly, and a serious expression took its place instead. "Hinata...I...Look, I'm really really _really_ sorry for everything that's happened to you over these last few weeks. You've gone through so much shit that you never should've experienced, you've suffered through everything we brought on, and now thanks to my stupidity and my comrade's plans, your entire village has turned against you. I swear to you, I had no idea they were going to frame you for my escape. I came back to try to help you, but your friend let me know just how useless I'd be. So we came up with a different plan."

It finally clicked. "You're here to take me away."

"Yes. It was your friend that came up with the idea. 'They'll never forgive her,' he said. 'We have to get her out of the village before it's too late.' And I agreed completely. Come with me, Hinata."

"Where? Where would we go?"

"I have no clue. Anywhere. Back with me to the Akatsuki, maybe. I know it's not the greatest idea in the world, but at least you'd be welcome, unlike here. This place has been poisoned – you'll never be able to go back now. The only thing you can do is move forward. I want to be there for you, Hinata. I want to be able to sit with you and hold you and kiss you and protect you from anyone who ever tries to hurt you. You've been all I could think about since I first saw you smile, and since then you've never left my mind. Come with me. Stay with me. Be with me."

Hinata looked away, back in the direction of her village, with the people who loathed her and the family that didn't want her, and where her two closest friends in the world were risking their lives to keep her safe. And then she turned back to the man in front of her. He held his hand outstretched towards her, and she felt a burst of emotion within her chest, an explosion of joy and wonder and lust and something else, something deeper, something she had only felt for one other boy in her entire life...

She took his hand, and together they disappeared into the night.


	21. Alternate Ending

"LET GO, DAMN IT!"

Deidara struggled against the choke-hold grip Kisame had around his neck, fingers digging into the blue-skinned man's forearms as he tried to slip out from his grasp. He only succeeded in getting Kisame to tighten his hold, however, and he found his breaths getting shallower and shallower as his throat was constricted. His arms began to beat against the iron around his neck, growing weaker and weaker until it looked like he was flailing in Kisame's grasp rather than attacking him.

When he had left the inn, he certainly hadn't expected his comrades to find him so quickly. Tobi should have told them that he was going for a walk; it should've been hours before they even began to wonder. They must have known Tobi was lying, or the masked man had revealed his partner's true intentions to them. Either way, they had caught up with him within the hour, appearing out of nowhere and giving chase to his fleeing figure before finally trapping him in front of a thicket of trees.

"Where were you going?" Itachi asked, staring at him with the crimson eyes he hated so much. He could see the black dots swirling threateningly around the man's pupils, and beneath the scope his left eye twitched. They seemed to merge together as they spun, but maybe that was just an effect of the lack of oxygen.

"I was going for a walk," Deidara gasped. Clearly no-one was buying it. "If you try using your illusions on me I will blow you to the fucking moon!" _I'm not going to tell you anything, asshole. _The world was growing darker. He blinked to fight it off, straining to get some oxygen in his system. "They won't work..." he trailed off, unable to speak anymore. _Fucking hell, I need to breathe. I must be as blue as him by now..._

"Do it, Itachi," Kisame said with a grin. "I want to see him squirm."

"Let him go. It's useless if he can't talk."

His partner grudgingly obliged, dropping the blonde on the ground like a large, heavy sack. Deidara sucked in all the air he could until his lungs were ready to burst, and then let it right back out. A few breaths later and he was sitting upright. His neck was sore and bright patches of red were blossoming around it. He began to prod the tender skin experimentally, ignoring the Uchiha as he knelt beside him.

"Where were you going?"

He coughed loudly in reply and picked himself up from the ground, swaying slightly. Ignoring the man still kneeling on the ground, he turned to glower at Kisame instead. "You could have fucking _killed_ me!" he hissed angrily.

"It's a pity I didn't. But I guess that's a game for another day, eh?"

_Damn bastards. _He eyed the trees opposite him, wondering if he could make a dash for it and get away. But he was too light-headed to even stand up straight, let alone move. _Damn Tobi. They're wasting my time! I have to go _now_! _"I was going for a walk."

"Why did you run from us, then?" Itachi inquired.

"Have you looked in the mirror? Anyone would run away from you two."

"Where were you going?"

"I bet you he was going back to Konoha, to get one last piece of that Hyuuga girl."

"..."

"I think you're onto something, Kisame. There's nowhere else for him to be going, and just a few miles ahead is the road."

"..."

"Well, Deidara? D'ya miss that fine piece of ass or something? Even I have to admit that when it comes to the chest of your Hyuuga there's -!"

Deidara's fist met the shark's mouth with a loud _smack!_ Although the punch wasn't as strong as it could have been, it served its purpose of silencing the man. Kisame rubbed his jaw, irritated yet still wearing that bold grin of his.

"That was pathetic," he teased. "But it's nice to know I hit a nerve. Thanks for proving us right."

"I wasn't going to go to her!" the blonde hissed. "Why would I?"

"Do I really have to even answer that?"

"Yes."

"Well then, it's because, as Hidan would say, you're a little bitch who just won't let go of unimportant things. I thought you were pissed because you didn't know about the plans, but now I think it's because you were actually into the girl."

_Tobi must've told them what I was up to, _he realised, cursing himself for his reactions to their questions._ They've just been trying to get me to admit it this entire time. _"A lot of stupid has come out of your mouth before, but that just takes the cake."

"You just _punched_ me for talking about her. I'm not fucking dense. What the hell were you thinking? Trying to go back to Konoha right after we let you out."

"I wasn't trying to go there! Do you really think I'm crazy enough to go back? The girl is just a girl, but if you talk about her again you'll be asking me to punch you in the face."

"Quit it with this charade already, Tobi let us know exactly what you were going to do. Sure, it took a bit of convincing, but in the end he let it slip right out."

Itachi had clearly grown tired of the exchange. "Come on, you two, we're going back to the inn. We've wasted enough time here, and Pein-sama is expecting to see us back at the base in a couple of days. And if you try something like this again, Deidara, we'll tie you up and drag you there."

It wasn't an empty threat. They knew he wanted to go back to help Hinata and potentially screw up all their plans, and now they were keeping a closer eye on him than ever. The entire trip back Kisame loomed in front of him and Itachi behind him, making sure that he could never stray too far. His feet stayed true to the course they took, but his mind travelled all over the place, searching for ways to sneak away any trick that would be of use. Most involved some pretty big and damaging explosions, but something told him they wouldn't work at all.

It was only when they got back to the inn and Tobi came skipping outside with a message from Zetsu did Deidara cease to think. His mind went black and his blood cold, and all the feeling left his limbs. It was a miracle he could stand at all. All because of one single statement.

"Pein-sama wants us back on the double, guys. Things are going perfectly! _The girl has been sentenced to death_."

* * *

When she looked back, memories poured into her had as thick and strong as a waterfall. She recalled things she had never dreamt of remembering, pictures of her childhood flashed through her eyes; pictures of the mother who had met an untimely demise; flashes of her training with Neji; glimpses of Naruto through the trees; Kiba, Shino and Kurenai and their endless days of training...every experience she had ever lived through flickered in her mind before fading once more into the recesses of her head. It moved forward even faster then, and more moments came to light, the day Naruto came back and then left again to go save Gaara; the kidnapping; the cold damp cell beneath the mansion; the outdoors and a house with a kindly old lady; an arrogant man with a wicked smile who made her laugh, who treated her warmly, whose lean body she had felt against hers and whose lips she had tasted on her own; he was all she could see then. Deidara. The most vivid image of them all. Him.

When she looked forward, she only saw death.

It wasn't in the form of a robed skeleton with a scythe, like most would imagine. For the girl it took the shape of a noose on a raised platform, the rope swaying above the trapped door hidden amongst the wooden floorboards. They had brought her here the day before in the hopes of scaring her into confessing, but she had kept her mouth shut tight. Kiba, Neji, Kurenai, Shino, Naruto, Sakura, and all the rest of her comrades had come to fight to her, yelling about unfairness and justice, but the mob screamed just as loud, and they wouldn't rest until they got what they wanted. And although Tsunade hadn't wanted to oblige to their wishes, she hadn't had much of a choice in the matter. All the evidence pointed to Hinata, and even the Hokage couldn't be sure of Hinata's innocence as the small quarter of her underlings were.

So they had announced to the entire village that in two days, she would either confess to her crimes and be rewarded with a life sentence in prison, or die an untimely death. Even before they had given her the options Hinata had known what she would do. She would never lie just to save her own skin. And even if she did, what was left for her here? What was a life behind bars really worth? She had lived through it once before, and didn't plan on going through it again.

Then it was settled. In two days, she would die.

One of those days had passed since then, and now she sat in the gardens of the Hyuuga compound for one last time, plucking the petals of a small white flower unfortunate enough to have rested near her fingers. For nearly two hours that was all she did, sitting beneath the leafy branches of the tree she leaned against and plucking petals from flowers. She hummed softly to herself, a tuneless song that she would probably never remember. Not that it mattered anymore.

"Hinata!"

She looked up, clasping the bare stem of a flower tightly between her fingers. Kiba was jogging over to her, with both Akamaru and Neji at his heels. They stopped in front of her, and when they realised she wasn't going to stand up they moved to sit down beside her.

Her teammate looked unwilling to talk, so Neji told her the bad news for him. "We tried our best to dissuade Tsunade, but nothing would change her mind. Whether we like it or not, your...your execution won't be delayed."

"But we're not going to give up," Kiba immediately added. "There are other ways we can stall this, and if worst comes to worst, I'll break you out myself and –"

"NO!"

She yelled out so violently that the world seemed eerily silent afterwards. Her face was flushed pink, and she was clutching the stem so tightly in her fist that it flattened completely. When no-one said a word, she took a deep breath and spoke.

"I will not let you throw away your life to save mine," she said. Kiba opened his mouth to protest, but she shook her head. "Forget it. I've accepted my fate."

"But you're innocent!" he exclaimed.

She smiled sadly. "It doesn't matter anymore. I have nothing left. If I live, what will happen then? I'll be stuck in some prison cell for the rest of time. No-one will be happy, and chaos will ensue. I don't want to be the cause of it."

"Hinata, it's your _life_."

"A life behind bars is no life."

"Neji, talk to her!"

Her cousin looked at her with an expressionless face, but his eyes betrayed the anger and pain he felt. "Can't you see?" he sighed. "She's already made up her mind."

"Thank you," she said to him.

"But," he continued. "That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying. It's just like Kiba said. We won't give up until the last possible moment."

The Inuzuka stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell?! You shouldn't be accepting what she says, you should be fighting her!"

"It's not our place to fight her wishes," Neji said. "I won't throw away my life. But I'll do whatever I can to make sure she keeps hers."

He stood up and tapped Kiba on the head. "Come on, let's go and meet up with the others. We still haven't told them what Tsunade said."

"Go on without me. I'll follow in a couple of minutes."

The Hyuuga nodded, and bent down so he could lay a hand on his cousin's shoulder. Then, wordlessly, he walked away. When he was out of their sight Hinata fixed her gaze onto Kiba, who had been staring at her the entire time. Looking at him quizzically, for the first time she found herself unable to tell what he was thinking.

"Kiba, I..." she trailed off, not sure how to continue. She wanted to console him somehow, but there was nothing she could possibly say now. Only lies would help, and she refused to resort to such measures. He had to accept her wishes. It was as simple as that.

_He's still staring at me, _she realised. Still contemplating her next words, she didn't notice that he had wrapped his arms around her until she had linked her own around his torso. She buried her face into his shoulder, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill out.

"I'm sorry," he murmured in her ear. "I don't know what to do anymore. I really don't. None of this should have ever happened to you."

"It's not your fault," she replied. "You did all you could. This is just the way it's meant to end."

A few seconds later they drew apart, and he gave her a small, forced grin before he went on his way. Even hours later, long after he had left and she was watching the sky turn all sorts of pink and orange, she could still feel his tears dripping down onto her shoulders.

A few seconds later they drew apart, and he gave her a small, forced grin before he went on his way. Hours later, long after he had left and the sky was turning all sorts of pinks and oranges, she could still feel his tears as they fell onto her shoulders.

* * *

_Faster, we have to go faster!_

The sun was rising, there wasn't any time left! By now they were probably leading her to the platform where her end awaited her. But no matter how hard he tried to get his comrades to move faster, they stuck to their sloth-like pace.

It had taken hours of pleading and begging and threatening before his comrades had even considered letting him go back to Konoha. And even then they hadn't wanted to, but then Kisame had realised how much fun it would be to let Deidara witness her death. Itachi had only gone along with it because he wanted to scope out Konoha's situation himself, rather than just listening to So they had come to an agreement with him – they would let him go if he agreed not to interfere. She would die, whether he liked it or not.

He had immediately said yes, with the intention of completely ignoring everything they said and stopping the execution. But they weren't prepared to take any chances, and they had timed their journey perfectly, so that when they arrived at the village they would either be right on time, or too late.

_I don't know how I'll manage to get her away with both these guys and the Konoha-nin on my back. But I'll do it. I have to do it!_

He was determined to save her. He knew he could do it somehow. So why was there such a strong feeling of dread hovering over him?

_There it is! _

He could see it in the distance now, through the trees as he ran forward, faster and faster, ignoring the shouts of his comrades behind him. It was the wrong side, though! He knew where this would take place. It had to be under the watch of the stone Hokages who watched over the village day and night. Such an important event would have to be around there. He only hoped he wasn't too late to stop it.

Brushing back his bangs from his eye, the lens in the scope turned and twisted as he scanned the empty streets. It was like the entire village had been abandoned. There was no need to lurk in the cover of the shadows; no-one would see him now. Fearlessly he raced onwards. The other members of the Akatsuki had disappeared, but they would know where he was going. Whether he liked it or not, they would find him.

He could see the people of Konoha now, a massive throng of citizens that formed a complete circle around a raised wooden platform. A couple of people turned their heads when they heard his heavy footsteps, and he quickly ducked behind the closest building before they saw him. This wasn't good. There were hundreds of people in between him and the platform - the only way of getting to him was by the air, but he'd be shot down straight away!

_Damn it, what can I do?!_

Still searching for a way to get to the platform stealthily and on time, he realised that the throng was parting on the other side of the stage, and a procession of guards was marching through the path they had created. Behind them the Hyuuga girl followed, her head held high and a blank look on her face. As she walked people hissed and yelled at her, and occasionally an object was thrown at her. They all missed, however, the guards made sure of that.

His heart leapt into his mouth when she climbed up the steps and onto the platform. _No,_ he thought, struggling to swallow. _I can't let this happen!_

He felt his feet moving forward.

"Not so fast, Deidara. We had a deal, remember?"

_They found me. Fuck!_

* * *

Slow and steady, that was the key.

She approached the nose without flinching, and stood silently as they fit it around her neck. From there there was talking, an announcement of her crimes, a chance for her to confess and repent, but still she said nothing. Instead she merely looked out over the crowd, over all the angry faces that glared at her with unhidden reproach.

_I can't see my friends anywhere, _she thought sadly. _I was hoping for one last chance to see them..._

She tried to stare past the heads, to take in the sight of her village, which looked so beautiful in the early dawn. Everything was glowing; the houses, the trees, the roads, they all shone with an orange tint. There was even something glinting in the distance, like a reflection off of a tiny piece of glass. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at the reflection even closer. It couldn't be a window; most people's shutters were still closed tightly over their windows. What was it?

It seemed to move then, and all of a sudden her heart was racing in her chest as the blonde hair came into view. Ignoring everyone and everything, she switched on her Byakugan to confirm whether or not this was real, or if she was just hallucinating.

But no, he had to be real, she could see every single bit of him; his long, blonde, hair, the beautiful blue of his one visible eye, the lean and muscular arms beneath the cloak he donned. There were people around him, she knew, people she had never hoped to see again, but it didn't matter anymore.

All that mattered was him. He was here. He had come for her.

Why had she given up, again?

She couldn't remember.

* * *

"Do you have any last words?"

Deidara waited for her to say something, but she didn't seem to hear the man speaking. Instead she continued to stare straight at the blonde, as though she was savouring the sight of him. _She sees me, _he thought, but all he could see was the rope around her neck.

"Alright, then."

The man walked off the platform, and he could see two men standing at a lever, their hands wrapped rightly around it.

_No, _Deidara screamed mentally. _No no no no no no no I have to do something it can't end like this I have to save her I came here to save her! _

In the few seconds before they pulled the lever, he noticed something odd.

She was smiling at him.

It was a smile full of love and dreams and everything he'd always wanted but could never hope to have.

In those last few seconds of life, she could still smile at him, even though this was all his fault, all completely his fault.

He felt something shatter inside his chest.

* * *

_I want to live._

* * *

He was running once again, but this time it was in the opposite direction. He had to get as far away as he possibly could, to get away from this all. No matter how far he got, though, every time he closed his eyes he saw her body fall as the trap door opened up beneath her, and heard the sickening _crack _of her neck.

She was gone, she was gone, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.

"HOLD ON, DEIDARA!"

A hulking figure crashed into him, and he was sent sprawling to the floor. He lay there, unmoving as the tears streamed down his cheeks. His comrades merely stood above him, watching, and waiting.

"We have to go," Itachi finally said. "They'll be returning to their homes soon."

_She's gone she's gone she's gone she's gone._

"You're not leaving just yet."

They all turned their heads toward the voice. It belonged to the man with the red markings on his cheeks, the one he had seen long before, in the cells. He no longer looked like the energetic youth he had once been. There were shadows under his eyes, and a dark, haunted look to his face. "I caught your scent," he told them. "You've been here the entire time."

_I'm not the only one who lost her, _Deidara thought, wiping his wet cheeks. He stood up and glowered at the shinobi.

"You're not going to stop us," he hissed. "But I promise you, I will be back. Hinata didn't deserve that. SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE!"

"She didn't," Kiba agreed, nodding solemnly. "That's why I'm coming with you."

"...You're what?"

"I can't stay in this place, in this village with these people, these stupid fucks who went and condemned her when all she was guilty of was caring too much. I'm going with you."

"We don't want you."

"I don't give a shit. I'm coming whether you like it or not."

"You realise what you're saying, kid?" Kisame asked. "You plan to _join _us?"

"I know exactly what I'm doing. There's nothing left for me here. Nothing without her. They took her away from me."

_Unrequited love. She never knew his feelings, did she? He never told her. She loved me, not him._

"Fine," Deidara said thickly, nearly choking on the word. _She's gone she's gone she's gone she's gone. _ "Come with us." He tried to move, but he couldn't. He couldn't just leave. Not like this. They _killed_ her. And they were just going to get off completely unscathed?

_THEY SHOULD BURN._

He could see it now, all the villagers alike wreathed in flames, screaming for mercy as fire rained upon them. It was so vivid he could almost smell the smoke, and hear their cries ringing in his ears.

"Deidara, come on. We're leaving _now_."

"...Itachi, you don't understand. I can't leave. How can I just leave it like this?"

"Do you think we're leaving forever? We'll come back soon. There's a jinchuriki for us to capture. After that, you and the Inuzuka can do whatever you want to the village."

"I don't want anything to happen to Neji," Kiba admitted. "Or the others who tried to help her."

"The rest then," Deidara muttered. "I'll blow them up. All of them. It'll be my greatest work of art. And the most satisfying."

_I couldn't save you Hinata._

_But I can avenge you._

* * *

**A/N: **There you go everyone, the alternate ending of Prisoner.

I've had a blast writing this fic, guys, thanks so much for your reviews, favorites and follows, and thanks for sticking with this story all the way to the end. :D

A couple of you mentioned sequels in your reviews, and I have to say although at this point I have no plans one, it could well happen in the future, considering that there is so much we could still see happening in the story.

Once again, thanks for reading. :)


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